SuperTriKids, YOG triathlon get underway

TRIATHLON weekend in Sogod town, northern Cebu starts today with the SuperTriKids (STK) competition to be followed by the Philippine Youth Olympic Games (YOG) qualifier at the Alegre Beach Resort and Spa.

Organizer Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez said that about 60 kids will be seeing action in the STK, which starts at 8:30 a.m.

The STK will have different age brackets ranging from 6-under to 15-under in male and female divisions. Each category will have different race distances.

The YOG qualifier will follow at around 10 a.m. with Philippine triathlon developmental pool members headed by Cebu’s very own Justin Chiongbian hoping to add to their points and represent the country in the 2014 YOG in China.

Expected to join Chiongbian are Jimuel Pantillan, Sixto Louie Lalanto, Samuel Rangue, Ohj Nobles, Kate Lagman, Vicky Beldio and Magali Echauz.

Pantillan, who ruled last year’s Batang Pinoy national finals in Iloilo, bested Chiongbian in the YOG qualifier in Subic.

The YOG qualifiers will be featuring a 500-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 2.5-km run obstacle.

Aside from the points that the qualifiers will accumulate, they will also be judged via an individual time trials.

For the safety of all participants today, roads will be closed in time for the race. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON