SEVEN favorites emerged from the close to a thousand triathletes entered in the maiden IRONMAN 70.3 Puerto Princesa reeling off on Sunday in Palawan.
Mervin Santiago and Aiken Ting expect to crowd the leading bets in the overall individual competitions and in their age-group (30-34) in the 1.9 km swim-90km bike-21k run race after their stint in the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.
Santiago was the first Filipino to cross the finish line at Kona.
Yoejan Prudente, on the other hand, headlines the 18-24 age group while also eyeing a top podium finish in the overall race together with John Nino Monte (25-29), who both competed in the IM 70.3 St. George in Utah, also last month, along with female triathletes Alessandra Castaneda, Mary Jane Baluyot (35-39), Nylah Bautista (45-49) and Celma Hitalia (55-59).
Castaneda also went on to become the first Filipina to cross the finish line at St. George.
But they will be tested like the rest of the 898-triathlete international field, including bets from 25 countries. Three hundred and fifteen more are ready to mix it up in the men’s and women’s relay and the mixed relay, which drew 177 participants from 59 teams.
The blue-ribbon event, organized by the IRONMAN Group/Sunrise Events, Inc., also marks the first time that national team members Fer Casares, a gold medalist in mixed relay in the last SEA Games in Hanoi, and Bea Quiambao, a two-time winner of 5150 races in Bohol and Subic this year, will vie in an IM 70.3 setting.
Also featured is Bamboo LODI Rafie Liego, who will compete in the 18-24 age group, while Hanoi SEAG medalists Raven Alcoseba and Andrew Remolino, along with Marc Lago, will banner the Go for Gold squad in mixed relay competition, also tipped to go down-to-the-wire.
Backed by Active, Athletic Brewing Co., Breitling, Fulgaz, Gatorade, Hoka Fly Human Fly, Hyperice, Qatar Airways, ROKA, Santini, Vinfast, Wahoo, the event also features triathletes from the US, Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Japan, Brazil, Thailand, the Netherlands, South Africa, Vietnam, New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, Korea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Saint Lucia and Guatemala.
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