Cebuana lass sets record in Luzon-wide cycling race

CEBU, Philippines - It took a Cebuana athlete to establish a record in a Luzon-wide cycling race.

Ana Patricia "Icamax" Maximo of Sacred Heart School-Hijas de Jesus became the youngest female cyclist to compete in the tough Pilipinas Cycling League's Tour of Clark, topping the 10km Individual Time Trial (ITT) race in the special Youth Girls 12-15 category last Sunday at the sprawling Clark Air Field in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Using a specially fitted Ridley-Token racing rig designed by BikeGuru of YKK, Icamax negotiated the two-loop 10km ITT race in 18 minutes and 10 seconds as recorded in the cyclocomputer, clocking with an average speed of 30kph and a maximum speed of 41kph achieved in downhill routes.

"The race was so cool.  You can really go as fast as you can because the roads are smooth and wide," shared the 13-year-old Icamax.

"I am lucky I have a brother who teaches me how to race a bike and lends me his racing gears," beams the sister of two-time Sportwriters Association of Cebu (SAC) AC awardee Luis Miguel "Igimax" Maximo, who represented the country last year in the Asian Junior Cycling Championships.

A day before the race, Icamax also competed in the international Asian Triathlon Championships, bagging a respectable 8th place finish in the 350-meter swim, 1-km bike and 2.5km run in the Mini-Sprint Girls 13-14 division held in the nearby Subic Bay Freeport in Olongapo City, Zambales.

She is currently attending the TRAP Triathlon Camp for the national youth developmental pool under coach Melvin Fausto and organized by TRAP President Tom Carrasco. (FREEMAN)