Kids of noted triathletes prepare to compete in Century Tuna Super TriKids

Mikele Jopson and Savvi Chiongbian are just 5 years old, but they showed no fear in hitting the waters of the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa yesterday as they took part in the two-day triathlon clinic in preparation for the 2012 Century Tuna SuperTriKids tomorrow.

Both girls have a lot of things in common. Aside from being of the same age, both will also be seeing action in their first triathlon competition at the resort’s grounds tomorrow.

Both are also the daughters of triathletes, which is probably why they are aiming to win their first race. Young as they are, they already have the passion to compete even without their parents pressuring them.

Multi-awarded Noy Jopson, Mikele’s father, said that his daughter is looking forward to tomorrow’s competition probably because she sees that her mom and dad have also won many triathlon events.

He added that they actually let Mikele join the clinic and the race to taper down her expectations because only then she would find out what it would be like with other competitors and know that winning will not be easy.

True enough, Mikele, at some point while swimming, stood up and complained that someone pulled her swimsuit. Her dad just smiled and told her to go on.

At this age, what’s important is that his daughter will have fun and be safe at the same time, Jospson said.

Savvi’s mom, Millette Chiongbian, said she is not sure what makes her daughter so interested in the sport. But she said it could be that everyone in the family including her brothers are into the sport.

Asked if she’s having fun so far, Savvi, who was slightly out of breath, replied she liked the orange thing—referring to the bouy that they had to touch before swimming back ashore for the bike transition.

National triathlon coach Melvin Fausto started the clinic by introducing the Triathlon Association of the Philippines’ (TRAP) grassroots development project.