OVER the past few months, the cycling community in the country has seen enormous growth as more and more people are getting into biking.
Many of these new cyclists are taking to two wheels because of necessity during the pandemic. But if you want to take your newfound interest in biking to the next level, three-time Southeast Asian Games triathlon gold medalist Kim Mangrobang has some encouraging words for you.
As young as nine years old, Kim was already interested in the sport. For the petite triathlete, her first bike was actually too large for her. Semplang became a part of life.

“Nung nagsisimula pa lang ako, binili ako ng parents ko ng GTS bike. Malaki siya sa akin kaya sobrang madalas ako sumemplang nung time na yon,” she said in an online interview in Coffee Ride with Mars Miranda.
Kim said that joining a team or group of bikers can actually help to boost your courage as a beginner.
“Ever since bata ako, sanay ako mag-training with a team. Nung nagba-bike kami sa may Ayala Alabang dati, dun nagte-training ‘yung national team. So ang nasa utak ko lang is kailangan kong makasabay lagi, kahit nasa dulo lang ako, kapag nasa grupo ako, feeling ko safe ako,” she said.
On dealing with failures and setbacks, the 28-yearo-old triathlete tips that it's good to focus on the technical, and not the emotional, side.

“Ang ginagawa ko lang is lagi kong fini-figure out ‘yung kaya kong kontrolin na mga bagay,” she said. “Lagi ko din kinakausap coach ko about sa what went wrong — ‘pag may mga instance na di ako nakakatapos ng race — and then ‘yung plans namin for the future. Important ‘yung lagi akong nakikipag-communicate.”
Kim is currently staying in Portugal, where she continues her training. Her team is planning to compete in the 2020 Karlovy ITU Triathlon World Cup on September 13 in the Czech Republic.
The point qualification for the Olympics, however, are suspended until January next year, but her team’s looking into joining the event for experience.
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