MACTAN, Cebu – For Australia’s Josh Ferris and New Zealand’s Amelia Watkinson, winning the IRONMAN 70.3 Lapu-Lapu presented by Megaworld – through overcast skies, rain and sun – was a triumph in itself at Mactan Newtown on Sunday.
But winning it to the deafening cheers of schoolchildren and locals, whose energy pushed them to the limit and carried them to the finish line, was something else.
“I was screaming along without knowing,” said Ferris, who captured the men’s pro title in 03:49:10 over the 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run, besting New Zealand’s Mike Phillips, who timed 03:52:40. “My ears were about to burst, they were so loud. All the school kids out there, all the people were cheering, and it was awesome.”
Ferris chases record
Ferris emerged from the water with a strong swim split of 21:37, maintained his momentum on the bike with a 2:02:15 ride, and held steady in the run, clocking 1:20:32 to seal the victory. His time was just three minutes short of the 3:46:44 record set by Mexican Mauricio Méndez in 2018, also in Lapu-Lapu.
Phillips, who started with a relatively slow swim time of 23:13, failed to close the gap during the bike leg, settling for 2:04:54. Despite posting the fastest run split of the day at 1:19:45, he fell short of catching Ferris.
New Zealand’s Sam Osborne, last year’s runner-up to Henri Schoeman of South Africa, finished third in 4:04:05 with splits of 22:38 (swim), 2:08:59 (bike), and 1:27:27 (run).
Watkinson returned to Cebu to win the women’s premier division of the event organized by Sunrise Events, Inc. and backed by Mactan Newtown, in dominant fashion – eight years after first claiming the same crown in 2017.
She clocked a total time of 4:14:22, with individual leg splits of 26:24 for the swim, 2:14:40 for the bike, and 1:28:17 for the run.
“It’s actually quite a unique atmosphere,” said Watkinson. “You can feel the visual energy out there. The kids had so much enthusiasm. It’s different here – it’s not just racing, it’s racing with emotion.”
Australian athlete Sophie Malowiecki led after the swim with a strong 24:13, but struggled on the bike, posting a 2:27:55, before finishing with the fastest run split of the day at 1:27:42, for a total time of 4:24:42. Kiwi Samantha Kingsford secured third place, finishing in 4:27:45 with splits of 25:43 (swim), 2:24:01 (bike), and 1:32:33 (run).
The race was not without its hitches. A minor crash on the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) during the bike leg created a tense moment. The iconic bridge, a scenic highlight of the route, turned slippery following a brief rain that surprised both organizers and athletes.
Several local and international competitors were involved in the crash, temporarily marring the otherwise smooth execution of the event. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries reported, and most athletes were able to continue the race.
Race organizers responded quickly, and medical personnel were on the scene within moments. The incident highlighted the unpredictability of outdoor competition – and the resilience of those who take part in it.
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