Sun Life 5150 back in Bohol

It will be the triathlon wannabes' turn to get a dose of top endurance racing in an Olympic-style setup when the Sun Life 5150 Triathlon returns to Bohol on 9 July at the posh Bellevue Resort on Panglao Island.

The sport actually marked its return to the mainstream after the pandemic at the popular triathlon destination in Central Visayas noted for coral reefs and unique geological formations last year with Lanao del Norte's Satar Salem and Bea Quiambao of The Next Step Tri sharing top honors in the 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run distance event.

This time, the organizing The IRONMAN Group/Sunrise Events Inc., coming off a successful staging of the 70.3 and full IRONMAN in Subic, expects a bigger, stronger cast and keener competition in the 5150 race designed for athletes wanting to embrace multi-sport racing and reach the IRONMAN level.

Jonathan Pagaura of Rider Omega Triathlon team, who finished second overall to Salem, heads the early roster of more than 300 entries that also drew bets from the US, Malaysia, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Germany and Japan.

Aside from the overall crowns, age-group titles are also set to be disputed in the event, sponsored by Sun Life Philippines as part of its continuing commitment to help promote a healthy lifestyle among Filipinos, including 15-to-19, 20-25, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64 and 65-69.

Also on tap are relay competitions while the Sunrise Sprint or S2 will spice up the Bohol 5150 race. The short-distance event, a sub-category to the centerpiece 5150 triathlon series, is set over 750-meter open-water swim, 20-km bike and 5-km run for beginners and upcoming athletes to get a feel of the tri-racing.