The visiting Japanese triathletes of the Nippon Sports Institute (NSI) clinched the inaugural men’s and women’s titles of the premiere middle distance category of the Captivating Camotes Triathlon yesterday at the municipality of San Francisco in Camotes Island.
NSI coach Hiroyuki Nishiuchi conquered the 1.8-kilometer swim, 60K bike and 15K run with a time of four hours, eight minutes and 20 seconds for the title while Yukiko Koike dominated the distaff side with a time of 4:36:20.
However, the Filipinos were not to be left behind in their own turf as Bohol’s Emmanuel Comendador crossed the finish line a little more than two minutes after Nishiuchi to place second.
Comendador clocked 4:11:08 while Cebu’s top runner John Philip Duenas salvaged third place with a time of 4:15:13.
The Filipinos also made their presence felt in the women’s middle distance with one of Cebu’s top triathletes—Loveleinell Casidsid—placing second to Koike with a time of 5:37:14.
It was an all-Filipino affair in the top 3 of the men’s standard distance with Bernie Gomez besting his opponents for the title with a time of 3:23:20.
Jesson Cuyos, who clocked 3:45:53, took second place while Rico Petallar settled for third place after clocking 4:03:01.
Japanese triathletes dominated the female standard distance with Fumi Ogana notching the title while her NSI colleague, Atsuko Iwamatsu, placed second. Ogana clocked 4:11:13 while Iwamatsu had a time of 4:36:23.
The sprint distance title went to Ramie Lawas (1:57:34) in the men’s division and Doreen Jabines (2:35:48) in the women’s division.
Completing the top 3 in the men’s were Gary Maningo (2:45:36) and Chito Hernandez (2:53:20).
In the distaff side, Xedessa Cuyos finished second to Jabines with her time of 2:59:08 while Alelu Cane salvaged third place after clocking 3:14:35.
The relay title was notched by the trio of Jieter Bada, Rey Berbesada and Fernando Berbesada.
Mikele Jopson showed that she can also be a promising triathlete like her parents, Noy and Amale, by bagging the Under 7 title. She clocked 14:19.
The 9-10 title was won by Dahnikah Jabines wit a time of 14:17 while Johana Maloloy-on pocketed the 11-12 title after finishing the race with a time of 16:46. The 13-15 title went to MC Justin Hernandez who clocked 33:19.