HUSBAND and wife Lhoriz and Mendel Lopez compete against each other in the 5th Olango Challenge, which kicks off today at the Tambuli East in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.
The duo will be seeing action in the 2-kilometer competitive swimming category.
This will be the first swimming competition for Lhoriz after giving birth to their son last February.
Lhoriz is a former member of the Philippine junior swimming team while Mendel is a noted runner. Both have since shifted to the sport of triathlon.
Lhoriz’s younger sister Loren Dale Echavez will return to defend her title in the 6k competitive category.
Echavez, who admitted to not being comfortable in this kind of competition the first time she tried it two years ago, captured her first long-distance open water swimming title via last year’s edition of this competition.
Ironically, she was supposed to miss out the Olango Challenge last year since she was scheduled to see action in an international swimming competition in Hong Kong. However, a delayed passport made her stay and instead try her hand again with the Olango Challenge.
As of 6 p.m. last night, 100 swimmers have already signed up for what is considered as the Philippine’s premiere open-water swimming marathon organized by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in cooperation with the Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA). /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON