Teeners take limelight in age group triathlon

MANILA, Philippines - On a day when a record field of triathletes showed up to compete, a pair of teenagers stole the limelight as they dominated their respective divisions in yesterday’s fifth leg of the 2010 Speedo National Age Group Triathlon at the Narra Park inside Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa.

The event, organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines and supported by the Ayala Alabang Village Association drew 312 participants, eclipsing the 254 that saw action during the second and final day of the Animo Sprint Triathlon last June.

Louis Angelo Naguit, a 16-year old La Salle sophomore taking up sports studies, needed one big push in the run leg to edge Kevin Raphael Dumol and claim the top honors in the 16-19 male age group held at the sprint distance.

“I wanted to challenge myself in longer distance so I decided to run in the sprint race. It was tough and I needed a big surge in the final kilometer to win,” said Naguit, who negotiated the 900m swim, 30K bike and 6.7K run in one hour, 46 minutes, 35 seconds.

He was just 16 seconds ahead of Dumol (1:46:51).

“I’m looking forward to seeing myself being part of the national team. Hopefully, by next year I will,” added Naguit.

Gabriel Allen Santiago was not to be outstaged by Naguit in this three-in-one event also supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Sunkist, Citibank, Fitness First, David’s Salon, Vitwater and Asian Centre for Insulation, Philippines.

Santiago stamped his dominance in the mini-sprint 13-15 category as he won by a mile over Jose Ignacio Mapa and Kurt Izak Cabanilla.

Santiago, 14, clocked 40:12 in the 300m swim, 11.6K bike and 2.5K race, almost four minutes ahead of Mapa (44:02).

Elmer Ching III, a professor at the San Pedro College Business and Arts, and 19-year old Carmina Ann Nombress from La Salle, won the Super Mini-Sprint, which serves as a bridge for triathletes from the mini-sprint distance to the standard distance.

Ching timed 1:07:41 while Nombres submitted a time of 1:18:30 in the 600m swim, 16.8K bike and 3.2K run.