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Friday, March 29, 2024

Japan, HK share spotlight

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ASIAN triathlon heavyweights Japan and Hong Kong split top honors in the open elite division Sunday, with Japanese Ryosuke Maeda ruling the men’s division and HK bet Yan Yin Hilda Choi taking the women’s crown at the 24th staging of the NTT – ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Maeda, who is ranked in the Top 10 back home, finished the 1.5K swim – 40K bike – 10K standard distance race in a fast time of 1:53.59, even as he admitted he had a hard time coping with the heat and the warm water temperature in the swim leg.

“But I really expected to win today,” said Maeda after the race that started at the ACEA beach resort and finished at the oval track of Remy Field.

For Hong Kong’s top-ranked triathlete Choi, who is preparing for the Asian Triathlon Championship in Indonesia later this year, it was not the first time for her to win in Subic as she already won there in the junior division.

Hong Kongís Yan Yin Hilda Choi crosses the finish line, winning the Elite Womenís crown of the 24th NTT-ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon held yesterday at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. She timed 2 hours, 10 minutes and 2 seconds.

It was, however, the first time for her to win at this level.

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“It was a nice race, good swim and I had a good bike pack with (the Philippines’) Claire (Adorna) setting the pace which helped us a lot,” said the pretty Choi, who clocked 2:10.02 in the event organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and sanctioned by the Asian Triathlon Confederation, whose president Justin Park was a special guest and did the awarding together with Legazpi Mayor Noel Rosal.

In the men’s side, Korean Ji Hwan Kim finished second almost a minute behind Maeda in 1:54.44, while another Japanese bet, Kotaro Watanabe took third place in 1:55.59. 

Rounding out the Top 5 finishers in the men’s side were Korean Seung Hun Seo (1:56.39) and Japanese Genta Uchida (1:56.45).

Best-placed Filipino in the race that was co-presented by the SBMA Tourism Authority and the Philippine Sports Commission and sponsored by Standard Insurance, Gatorade, and Asian Center for Insulation, was national team member John Chicano, who however, failed to crack the Top 10 because of the strong field this year.

Chicano was followed by Mark Hosana with both coming up with improved times. 

National champion Nikko Huelgas was disappointed as he finished behind his teammates Chicano and Hosana.

The race was also supported by ACEA beach Resort, Finis, Century Tuna, Philippine Star, The Lighthouse Marina Resort, ACEA Subic Bay, Subictel, Foton, PTT, Moonbay Marina The Villas, Subic Bay Traveler’s Hotel (official hotel), Subic Holiday Villas, Subic International Hotel and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Chicano, Hosana and Huelgas are all seeking  slots in the SEA Games in Malaysia, where Huelgas  won the gold  in the last edition of the triathlon event.

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