Young Cebuanos seek to hold ground in IronKids

Young Cebuano athletes aim to defend their turf against a field of 188 participants as the Alaska IronKids Triathlon gets underway early today at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

The Cebuano charge will be led by Justin Chiongbian, who was recently chosen one of the top candidates of the Asian Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Qualifyinbg Race slated next year in Kazakhstan.

“I am better prepared this year than last,” said Chiongbian.

“I will do my best and make sure that I will not crash the bike so it won’t take away precious seconds from my time.”

Another Cebuano who is hoping to improve his finish last year is Ralph So.

“I will be in the sport for a long time. I like it because it teaches me self discipline,” said So, who finished 5th in his category last year.

“I hope to get a podium finish.”

So’s brother, Edward, will also be competing.

Female counterparts will be up for tougher competition with the participation of the McCormack siblings, Seina Lily and Tahlia Jane, who will be joiningtheir third triathlon and first international stint.

The two are the daughters of Chris “Macca” McCormack, the two-time IronMan world champion, who will also be competing for the first time in the Cobra IronMan 70.3 Philippines.

“I’m excited because they will be in their first international race,” said Macca.

“I just told them to get out there, swim, bike, run and smile.”

Among the local participants in the female division is Issa Priagula.

She and her friend, Aaliyah Ricci Mataragnon, said they just want to have fun in today’s event and cross the finish line.

Both girls said that they are into sports because they want to stay healthy and ease stress.

“It really pushes me to my limits and teaches me to endure. It can help me learn to be patient and to be selflless,” said Mataragnon.

The Alaska IronKids Triathlon will feature four age-groups with different race distances.

Unlike last year’s edition, the 6-8 years old and 9-10 years old categories will have the same distance with participants to conquer 100 meters of swimming, three kilometers of biking and one kilometer of running.

The 11-12 and the 13-14 years old categories of the Ironkids event will have a 300m swim, 10km bike ride and 2km run.

The swimming will take place in the waters fronting the Shangri-La resort while the bike ride will head out of the resort towards Mactan Newtown.

The run will be done within the resort.

Chiongbian and some parents of the participating kids are worried about the bike bands they have to get at the turning point.

The distribution of bike bands at the turning point, according to them, may create an influx of riders in the area and cause accidents.

This will be the fifth of the Alaska Ironkids race series which also features a run competition and

an aquathlon.

In the swimming segment, kids will swim a straight course instead of a triangle route.

The race will have two waves with the first wave released at 7:45 a.m.

The timing chips will also be distributed at a hut near the start of

the swim area.

Organizers are advising parents not to enter the transition area where marshals will be around to assist the participants /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON