Nat’l tanker makes big splash in int’l triathlon

National swimmer Jenny Guerrero completed her first Olympic distance triathlon in a splash as she led the age group winners, together with national duathlon champion Ryan "Bad Boy" Mendoza, in the recently-concluded 12th Legenda-Subic Bay International Triathlon hosted by SBMA.

Guerrero, who may find a new sport in triathlon from swimming, was just a minute behind overall elite third placer Mimi Lucas as she clocked 2:39.52 to Lucas’ 2:38.47.

Mendoza, the reigning 2006 (run-bike-run) Asian duathlon champion, earned the respect of regular triathletes with his impressive performance, coming from way behind doing 34 minutes in the initial 1.5K swim leg where he finished 45th and recovered in the bike leg where he posted the fastest time in the 40K distance race to move up to sixth place just before the final 10K run leg.

Again Mendoza submitted the best time of 37.53 minutes in the run to grab line honors in the the 30-34 age group with a time of 2:22.51, followed by Abe Tayag, 2:33.59, and PowerBar brand manager Raul Cuevas in 2:36.25.

Other male age group winners were Joseph Rana 2:34.14, Jeremiah Tambor, 2:47.56, and Reymark Dabu, 2:49.04 in the 20-24 age group, Leian Cruz, 2:26.18, Alexander Leuterio, 2:39.29, and Andy Vaughn, 2:45.41 in the 25-29 age division. Christopher Pollard ruled the 35-39 age group in 2:24.28 followed by Mark Candelaria in 2:25.58, and Jojo Macalintal, 2:29.09.

Joe Wojcik emerged champion in the 40-44 group in 2:29.54, second and third were Burke Fishburn and Mark Buckley in 2:32.37 and 2:39.06 respectively.

Alvin Alindogan, who topped the 45-49 age group in the New Zealand 21K international run in Queenstown, New Zealand last month, topped the same group in 2:35.14 followed by Bishan Servanez, 3:15.18, and Alex Chen, 3:21.09. Niels Have won the 50-54 group in 2:51.49 with Carlos Viola-Santos as runner-up in 3:26.48.

Ernesto Rivera took the 55-59 crown in 3:26.05, followed by HSBC’s Warner Manning in 3:36.45 and Pio Salvador, 4:08.44, while for the oldest 60 and up age group, Don Bozarth took the crown in 3:01.59, followed by Nicanor Nicdao, 3:42.01, and Tirso de Luna, 4:15.47.

In the distaff side of the age group, Guerrero was followed by Monica Torres, 3:03.57, and Leslie Herrero, 3:23.41; Pauline Balaguer ruled the 25-29 group in 3:23.13 with Chari May Onyangco in second, 3:26.24, and Gloria Santos, third in 3:38.39.

Newscaster Tricia Chiongbian emerged number one in the 30-34 age group in 3:05.02, Christine Navarro took second in 3:28.20, while Maricris Gepiga was in third in 3:45.04; corporate executive Nona Torres won the 35-39 age group in 2:57.30, national duathlon champion Rizzo Tangan was in second in 3:11.45, while Jasmin Mercado placed third in 3:41.02.