Tag: Subic

Chinese, Leyann Ramo seal Ironman 70.3 Subic glory

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Leyann Ramo.–Photo from Ironman

SUBIC – Chinese Peng Cheng Li and local standout Leyann Ramo delivered outstanding performances at the Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay, demonstrating remarkable speed, strength, and endurance in their victories here Sunday.

Li maintained a commanding lead throughout the race, finishing with an impressive time of 4:20:05. His dominant performance saw him outpace Great Britain’s Christopher Weeks by a substantial margin of 10 minutes in the challenging 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride, and 21.1km run event.

Weeks finished in 4:30:18, while August Benedicto, a local favorite, secured third place in 4:34:21.

READ: Filipinos eye strong showing at Ironman, 70.3 races in Subic

Li’s performance was particularly notable during the closing run stage, where he dashed to the finish with an energy that belied the grueling nature of the half-triathlon race.

The Ironman Philippines and the IM 70.3 Subic drew over a thousand triathletes from 54 countries, underscoring the global appeal of the Ironman Group-organized event. The two races also offered qualifying slots for three World Championships, including the ongoing full-distance race featuring a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride, and 42.2km run.

Peng Cheng Li Ironman Subic

Peng Cheng Li.–Photo from Ironman

Li, who placed sixth in the full Ironman Australia last year, set a strong pace early in the swim leg with the fastest time of 28:38, establishing a two-minute lead over Weeks.

Transitioning to the bike leg, the 33-year-old multi-age group winner in 70.3 races extended his lead with a time of 2:21:38. He capped off his performance with a powerful finishing kick during the run, completing it in 1:23:58.

Li’s performance mirrored his winning effort at the Ironman 70.3 Korea in 2019, highlighting the consistent discipline he has maintained over the years.

Meanwhile, Ramo showcased impressive form despite fluctuating weather conditions, including intermittent sunshine and overcast skies. She set the pace with a swim time of 00:30:57, maintained her lead during the bike leg with a time of 02:45:42, and concluded strongly with a run time of 01:47:06, securing the women’s overall crown with a total time of 05:07:33.

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” said Ramo, proudly representing Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte.

READ: Svetlana Kovaleva top women’s Ironman PH bet

Winner of the Ironman 70.3 Puerto Princesa last year, the 31-year-old Tri SND Barracuda spearhead expressed heartfelt gratitude to her family, teammates and province for their unwavering support in her latest triumph.
Israel’s Hadar Shahar finished second with a time of 05:16:04, posting leg times of 00:32:38 (swim), 02:46:26 (bike), and 01:52:53 (run). Hong Kong’s Ruby Cheng claimed third place in 05:23:57, with respective times of 00:29:44, 02:49:23, and 01:58:32 in the swim, bike, and run segments.

Ramo also earned the age-group title in the 30-34 division ahead of Cheng while Shahar topped the 25-29 category, culminating a significant triathlon weekend that included the Underpants Run and the Choco Hero Ironkids.

Weeks began strongly with a swim time of 00:30:26, followed by a bike time of 02:22:41, and concluded the run in 01:33:27, finishing with a total time of 04:30:18. Benedicto, winner of the Ironman 70.3 Cebu in 2022, completed the swim in 00:34:26, the bike in 02:23:48, and the run in 01:32:49, finishing at 04:34:21.

The top three male finishers also ruled their respective age-group categories: Li claimed the 30-34 age group, Weeks secured the 35-39 trophy, and Benedicto won in the 40-44 division.

Benedicto also narrowly edged out Thai top triathlete Jaray Jearnai in both overall and age-group standings, with Jearnai finishing in 04:37:08 with leg times of 00:30:23 (swim), 02:26:56 (bike), and 01:35:16 (run).

Furthermore, the top 25 male triathletes from the ongoing full-distance race earned coveted spots in the Kona, Hawaii World Championship scheduled from Oct. 22-28. Additionally, the top 15 female athletes secured qualification for the IM World Championship in Nice, France, set for Sept. 24-28.

The IM 70.3 Subic Bay also offered 45 age-group qualifying slots for the Vinfast IM 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, New Zealand, on Dec. 14-15, with 15 slots reserved specifically for female participants.

In relay competitions, Go for Gold Team I topped the men’s event in 04:05:20, beating Isabela Tri Club (04:10:02) and Go for Gold Team 2 (04:19:17), while Isabela Tri Club topped the mixed relay in 04:25:29, and the Isabela Tri Club Girls ruled the women’s side in 05:04:32.

Other division winners were Kenneth Bonda (4:45:49), and A.R. Toroganan (4:40:05) in 25-29.

Filipinos eye strong showing at Ironman, 70.3 races in Subic

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FILE– John Alcala is among the athletes to watch out for in this year’s Ironman Philippines. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

John Dedeus Alcala leads a determined group of Filipino athletes against a formidable lineup of international competitors in the Ironman Philippines and the IM 70.3 Subic Bay races scheduled for Sunday in Subic.

Alcala and the rest of the competitors will tackle the  3.8-kilometer swim, 180km bike ride, and 42.2km run on a world-class championship course in Subic where slots in the World Championships are at stake.

Among the notable competitors from 54 countries is Filipino bet August Benedicto, who aims to deliver a strong performance in the 11th edition of the IM 70.3 race, which includes a 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride, and 21.1km run.

READ: John Alcala, Ines Santiago rule rainy Ironman

“I’m thrilled to compete here, even though I’m now based in Ireland,” said Benedicto.

Alcala, who triumphed in the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Puerto Princesa in 2022, meanwhile, faces a tougher challenge, notably from 2022 champion Czech contender Petr Lukosz.

Despite missing out on his age-group category in the recent Ironman 70.3 Cebu, Lukosz remains a top contender in the full-distance race.

“It’s all about dreams. I still have a dream to do full Ironman sub 9 hours. I came three minutes short in Arizona,” said Lukosz. “And I told my wife that I will try one day to be in Top 10 in Kona in my age group.”

READ: Tested warriors carry PH fight in Subic Bay Ironman

The Ironman and IM 70.3 age group kick off at 5:45 a.m., with the swim cutoff time set at 70 minutes from the last athlete’s start. The bike and run stages have cutoff times of 5 hours and 30 minutes and 8 hours and 30 minutes, respectively.

The top 25 male triathletes from the full Ironman earn spots in the Kona, Hawaii World Championship from Oct. 22-28. The top 15 female athletes will qualify for the IM World Championship in Nice, France, from Sept. 24-28.

The IM 70.3 Subic Bay offers 45 age-group qualifying slots for the Vinfast IM 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, New Zealand, on Dec. 14-15, with 15 slots reserved for female participants to promote gender equality.

Eleora Avanzado, Euan Ramos lead Ironkids Subic winners

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Euan Ramos and Eleora Avanzado crossing the finish line at the Choco Hero Ironkids 2024. –HANDOUT PHOTO

Eleora Avanzado and Euan Ramos showcased remarkable performances, leading their respective divisions in the premier age category of the Choco Hero Ironkids race on Saturday at Subic Bay Boardwalk.

Avanzado raced for a total time of 26:34 over the 250-meter swim, 6-kilometer bike, and 2km run event to rule the girls’ 13-14 division, edging Celinda Raagas in a close finish.

Raagas registered a total time of 26:49 to come in second in the race which served as a prelude to Sunday’s premier full-distance Ironman Philippines and the IM 70.3 Subic Bay races.

READ: Young bets take spotlight as Ironkids unfolds

Ramos, meanwhile, dominated the boys’ 13-14 division from start to finish, posting a total time of 22:37 (03:11 in the swim, 10:52 in the bike, and 06:51 in the run), outpacing Joan Marcelo, who finished with a time of 24:05. David Mora claimed third place with a time of 24:31.

This marks Ramos’ fifth victory in the Ironkids, highlighting his determination to not only become a leading triathlete but also a Youth Olympian.

“My dream is to become a Youth Olympian,” said Ramos, a student at Small World Christian School in Benguet, Baguio. “It’s a rewarding feeling to cross the finish line first again here in Subic.”

Maria Isabella Raagas ruled the girls’ 11-12 category (200m swim, 4km bike, and 1.5km run) with a time of 21:15 while Kurt Cruz led the boys’ race, timing 20:35.

In the relay competitions, Team TriClark Scania and Team NAS Kids topped the girls’ and boys’ categories, respectively, with Team SPED G and Team Olongapo Junior Trackers also securing victories.

Tested warriors carry PH fight in Subic Bay

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John Alcala. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

A total of 54 countries will be represented when more than a thousand athletes answer the starting gun on Sunday in the backbreaking Ironman Philippines and IM 70.3 events at Subic Bay Boardwalk where the host country will be fielding some of its best.

John Alcala will banner the local charge in the full Ironman, which will be over a 3.8-kilometer swim, a 180-km bike and 42.2-km run race with the most scenic spots in Subic Bay as backdrop even as August Benedicto returns to the country seeking another 70.3 win in two years.

But before that, the Ironkids race will be held on Saturday with boys and girls from six to 15 years old disputing trophies in several categories. The distances for the kids depend on the age range, with those in the 13-15 division tackling a 250-meter swim, 6-km bike and 2-km run race.

Benedicto, who now calls Germany home and comes over to participate in selected events, triumphed in the Cebu edition in 2022, ruling the 1.9-km-swim, 90-km bike and 21.1-km run race that took the athletes atop of the CCLEX bridge twice.

The centerpiece event also offers World Championship slots to the top 25 male athletes for the Kona, Hawaii, event, with the women seeing action in the 70.3 disputing 15 slots to its version of the global championship slated in Nice, France, in September.