Cebuanos top long-course categories

Ten Cebuanos were among the top 10 finishers in various long-course categories in yesterday’s rain-drenched 2013 Alaska IronKids Triathlon.

About 30 minutes before the second wave—consisting of partcipants in the short-course categories—was supposed to be released, a downpour started and the winds picked up, prompting organizers to hold off and eventually cancel the 6-to-8 year old and 9-to-10 categories.

The highest placed triathlete from Cebu was Shaia Ruth Uy, who ruled the Girls 13 to 14 category after she crossed the finish line in 34 minutes and 32 seconds.

Uy, whose family is originally from Dipolog, finished fifth in the swim, but made up for it in the bike phase and held on to the lead going into the run phase until the finish line.

Uy’s brother, Joshua Craig, also had a commendable performance with a bridesmaid finish in the Boys 11 to 12 category with a time of 33:31.

Justin Liam Chiongbian duplicated his second place finish in the Boys 13 to 14 after losing to Hong Kong’s Arno Baetz by merely seven seconds.
Chiongbian clocked 30:60 while Baetz finished 29:59.

The other Cebuano in the category, Ralph So, once again finished fifth but improved his time. He clocked 31:37.

Other Cebuanos who entered the top 10 were Aaliyah Ricci Mataragnon at fourth, Mercy Issa Priagula at sixth place and Dianne Kaye Sy at 10th place.

Cebuanos in the top 10 of the Girls 11 to 12 were Lorraine Hann at seventh place, Nina Francesca Villaba at eighth place and Nyza Archival at ninth place.

The rest of the top three winners were Caloocan’s Brent Valelo in the Boys 13 to 14; Makati’s Alexandra Leather who fetched second in the Girls 13 to 14 while the third was salvaged by Maria Margarita Delos Reyes.

Topping the 11 to 12 Boys was Quezon City’s Bambam Manglicot, third place went to Mabalacat’s Nathan Nalo while in the distaff side, crown went to Binan’s Lauren Justine Plaza, second place to Quezon City’s Nicole Danielle Eijansantos and Samantha Borlain at third place.

A protest was filed by the family of Aaliyah Ricci Mataragnon who complained that one of the podium finishers violated the rule of using the maximum of a 55-mm deep bike wheel.

A week before the race,  Aaliyah changed to the specified bike wheel to comply with the rule. Her father Ritchie Mataragnon questioned why one youth racer had a 52-mm deep bike wheel.

Race director Ani de Leon-Brown measured the wheel and declared it to be a 50 but the Mataragnons said a caliper should have been used and not a tape measure.

“Remember this is a kid’s race. We organized it so kids can have fun,” De Leon-Brown said. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON