Tough challenge ahead for Philippine Team triathletes
by: Carlo Carrasco
Members of the Philippine triathlon team led by 2015 Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) gold medalists Nikko Huelgas and Claire Adorna will face their first acid test of the year as they engage with several crack triathletes from overseas in the fast approaching NTT ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon which will commence on April 29 and 30 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Their teammates John Chicano, Mark Hosana, Edward Macalalad, 2015 SEAG silver medalist Kim Mangrobang and Kim Kilgroe will be facing off with several entries from Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Australia, Slovakia, Macau, Singapore, Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei and Malaysia in the 1.5 kilometer swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run Elite contests supported by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Finis, Century Tuna, Philippine Star, Gatorade, Standard Insurance, The Lighthouse Marina Resort and ACEA Subic Bay.
The Philippine elite entries are all aspiring to qualify in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games triathlon event the selection of which will happen between late May and early June. After the event in Subic Bay, they will each resume their high-performance training in different parts of the world with the financial support of the PSC.
Similarly the Junior (16-19) and Youth Olympic Games (YOG) contests on April 29 also supported by supported by Subictel, Foton, PTT, Moonbay Marina The Villas and Asian Center for Insulation, Subic Bay Traveler’s Hotel (official hotel), Subic Holiday Villas, Subic International Hotel and media partners Raceday Triathlon, SBR.ph, Trilife Magazine and AsiaTRI.com will also attract many of the region’s best youth triathletes that keep the Philippine team’s Junior squad (Julius Constantino, Andrew Remolino, Vicky Deldio and Una Sibayan) and YOG squad (Wacky Baniqued, Joshua Ramos, Inaki Lorbes, Nicole Eijansantos, Karen Manayon and Lauren Plaza) busy.
For more information, visit the TRAP’s website: www.triathlon.org.ph. or Facebook pages https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil/ and https://www.facebook.com/ITUSubit/
