Phl triathletes get Asiad warm-up

The national squad will be using the IRONMAN 5150 as a warm-up event for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China this September.

In an online press briefing, national team coach Ani de Leon-Brown said the tourney set in Dapitan City on 10 September will be a good test for the members of the national squad.

Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Kim Mangrobang and Fer Casares are expected to banner the Philippines in the Asian Games in a bid to come up with a podium finish.

While members such as Casares, Kim Remolino, Kira Elis, and John Chicano are already confirmed to join, Mangrobang is still doubtful to see action in the 51.5-kilometer race in Dapitan due to her schedule.

"It can be because we will leave two weeks after the event so yeah, it is a good build-up for that. I can totally see our athletes going to this as a tune-up event," De Leon-Brown said.

"We have to practice our racing skills and it's a good fitness test. If there are no races two to three weeks before the competition, we always do our own simulations and this is convenient for us that this falls on the window where we want to test our athletes' fitness level."

Mangrobang said she will do her best to test her mettle against the veteran and up-and-coming local and international triathletes in the IRONMAN event.

"Let's see. Right now, I am in Mexico and I will fly to the United States. Let's see if I will be able to go home to compete in Dapitan," Mangrobang said.

Aside from serving as a buildup for the Asian Games, the 5150 Dapitan race also stakes a hefty cash prize, according to Dapitan City Mayor Seth "Bullet" Jalosjos.

"The overall winner of the main race will get P500,000," Jalosjos said.

Jalosjos added that the 5150 Dapitan's success will also play a key role in the city's plans to host the IRONMAN 70.3 in the future.

"The ultimate goal is the IRONMAN 70.3. We'll just get our feet wet with the 5150 Dapitan and hope in the near future, we'll get that chance," stressed Jalosjos.

Additional prizes of P50,000 and P30,000 will also be awarded to the Olympic and Sprint winners, respectively, of Lipi ng Rizal (best team award), P10,000 each to the recipient of Fuertos Juntos (relay) and P50,000 to the Liga ng Rizal awardee (team with most members).

The top three Bagong Bayani winners, or Filipino elites, will also get P40,000, P30,000, and P10,000, respectively.

Spicing up the 5150 Dapitan is the Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint, featuring a 750m open-water swim, 20-km bike ride, and a 5-km run, with the Noli Run, a 3-km fun run will usher in the main event on 9 September.