Clark Global City—Philippine duathlon’s young guns raced head-to-head from start to finish of the Bike King Duathlon, participated in by some 850 athletes on Sunday.
Male 18-24 age groupers Xy James Dacayanan (Team Podium BF Baguio) and Reymart Songco (Fit.ph) staged an exciting race as the two kept pace with each other in the 1st leg, a 6-km run through Clark Global City.
Songco slid into the chute after the 60-km bike along SCTex faster than Dacayanan, but his extra seconds in transition and on the 4-km run leg gave his rival a full minute’s advantage.
Dacayanan claimed 1st place in his age group, and the top honor of being the fastest overall male with an astounding finish of 2 hours, 16 minutes and 46 seconds.
Songco clocked in a full minute after to settle for 2nd place in his age group and as overall male finisher. Rounding the podium for 3rd fastest male was Ronald Molit (fit.ph), also named the champion of the 35-39 age group.
On the ladies’ side, Jayline Balatibat (Herbalife) blitzed in at 2:37:30 to claim overall fastest female honors and 1st place in the female 30-34 category.
Second fastest overall female was Jennifer Soto (Tri Delta), who cruised to the finish two minutes after and took 1st place in her 40-44 age group. Fellow age grouper and national triathlon team coach Ani de Leon Brown, fresh from the Asian Games and preparing for her 3rd Ironman World Championship bid in Hawaii was hot on Soto’s heels to claim 3rd fastest overall female.
Other champions declared in the 6km run-60km bike-4km run presented by Clark Global City and NLEX-SCTEx and supported by FamilyMart, TIMEX, Standard Insurance, Gardenia, Clark Water, Nescafe’ Dolce Gusto, Vittoria, and partner hotels The Villages at Global Clark and Royce Hotel were Aira Lourdes (female 18-24), Oscar Miguel Mapalo (male 25-29), Maria Tiffany Batilo (female 35-39), Edison Morales (male 40-44), Leilani Marie Tan and Jojo Macalintal (45-49), Lara Parpan (female 50-above), Bernardo Mateo (male 50-54), Doddie Dino, Jr. (male 55-59) and Daniel Yamio (male 60-above).
In the Team Competition, Fit.ph reigned with a combined fastest finish time of five of its members, followed by the Trimac team in 2nd place, and Styc in 3rd .
For the relay, the champions were NLEX Team C, Team Rising Sun/Hardcore (all-male), Team Franzia B (mixed), and Team Mako (family).
Short-distance (3kmm run – 30km bike – 2km run) champions were Trishan Badua and Aldrin Elagio (15-19), 2017 SEA Games gold medalist Kim Mangrobang and Julian Sebar Serrano (20-29), Wendy Salada and Raymond Morales (30-39), Anna Mapua and Mark Luke Balanza (40-49), Lea De Leon Palou (female 50-above), Enrico Rosin (50-59), and June Donato (male 60 and above).
The awarding ceremony was graced by Clark Global City General Manager Glenson Lim and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.’s Assistant Vice President Rizza La Torre. La Torre joined the short distance mixed-relay contest as a member of Team NLEX.
For the complete race results and winners’ listing of the Bike King Duathlon, visit http://www.bikekingphilippines.com.