SACRED HEART School-Ateneo de Cebu’s Justin Liam Chiongbian was awarded yesterday as the Male Youth Triathlete of the Year in the 2nd annual SWIMBIKERUN.ph (SBR.ph) Awards after garnering more than 600 votes.
The 14-year-old, fast-rising triathlete was nominated for the award due to his exemplary achievements despite having only started as a triathlete last March.
Chiongbian’s biggest achievement last year was his third-place finish in the Singapore International Triathlon, becoming the highest placed Filipino in the contest last September 2012.
He also made waves in local competitions with first place finishes in the Talisay City Triathlon, Cong. Durano Tri Series in Danao City, Plantation Bay Resort Tri and in the Asian Duathlon Championships in Subic, Zambales.
Chiongbian also had top three finishes in the Alaska IRONKIDS Cebu and the Batang Pinoy Triathlon in Iloilo City.
The SWIMBIKERUN.ph is the biggest Filipino online multisport community and the annual awards is its way of recognizing the Filipino athletes whose achievements further brought the Philippine multisporting scene to the next level.
The athletes are nominated and voted by the website’s readers. The top 5 with the most number of nominations will form the finalists and the nominees with the most number of votes wins./CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON