Pressure on triathletes

Filipino triathletes are pressured to defend their titles when the 30th Southeast Asian Games unwraps this November at the New Clark City in Tarlac.

Two-time gold medalist Nikko Huelgas will sit out due to injury, but John Chicano will be back while Cebuano teen Andrew Remolino makes his debut to carry the torch in the men’s individual race for the host country.

In the distaff side, reigning titlist Kim Mangrobang and Kim Kilgroe see action against the best triathletes from Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia.

In particular, hopes are high on 19-year-old Remolino, who topped the qualifying races for Filipino elite competitors in the swim-bike-run Olympic event.

He gained the right to represent the country after crossing the finish ahead of all Filipino elite racers in both the 2019 Gyeongju ASTC Asian Triathlon Championships in Korea two months ago and the Subic Bay International Triathlon last April.