DAPITAN CITY – Nicole Andaya and Matthew Hermosa handily won the overall championship in their respective divisions at the 5150 Dapitan Triathlon in Zamboanga del Norte on Sunday.
Andaya, representing the Usuals team, clocked 22:42 in the swim, maintained her lead with a 1:16:38 bike time, and capped it off with a 54:03 run to finish the 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, and 10 km run in 2:36:00.
She finished more than three minutes ahead of Joanne Cruz from Tri SND Barracuda, who came in second at 2:39:59, while Lourdes Ramos secured third in 2:40:05.
Big leap for Andaya
Competing in only her second 5150 event, Andaya was thrilled with the unexpected improvement after placing third in last year’s 5150 Bohol.
"There are so many strong athletes, but this is a huge improvement from where I was last year," said Andaya. "It’s more than just about me – this victory is for my teammates."
Hermosa displayed championship form in his 5150 debut. The Go for Gold mainstay surged ahead in the swim with a time of 17:56 and held on in the bike and run, clocking 1:00:21 and 37:16, respectively, for a total time of 1:56:56.
He finished ahead of 2022 5150 Bohol champion Satar Salem, who placed second in 1:58:57, and Dayshaun Ramos, who rounded out the podium in 2:01:45.
“This was my first time competing in 5150, and I’m proud to have won,” said Hermosa. “My goal has always been to make the Hermosa name known in triathlon, and this is a step toward that.”
Despite battling cramps during the run, Hermosa stayed composed under pressure, particularly from Salem, who trailed closely throughout the race.
“The key was to never give up,” said Hermosa from Cebu. “Satar was right behind me the entire time, which kept me pushing harder.”
Both Andaya (25-29) and Hermosa (15-19) also won their respective age group categories, with each taking home P65,000.
In the Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint, disputed over the 750m swim, 20km bike, and 5km run distance, Paul Jumamil and Nicole del Rosario took home top honors.
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