Van Wincy Pagnanawon lives up to family tradition

LAPU LAPU CITY, Cebu, Philippines — For the Pagnanawons, sports excellence runs in the family.

Van Wincy Pagnanawon, whose grandfather Rolando won the fabled Marlboro Tour in 1986, and father Jaybop a Ronda Pilipinas campaigner, may be carving a path of his own in a different sport after ruling the boys’ 9-10 age bracket of the Alaska Fortified IRONKIDS Philippines at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa here yesterday.

Representing Talisay City, Pagnanawon, 10, relied on his strong biking where his family is well known for in fighting back from fourth after the swim part to rule the 200-meter swim, six-kilometer bike and 1.5km run race in 25 minutes and 49.97 seconds ahead of Peter del Rosario and Al Dustin Bersabal, who ended up second and third in 26:18.20 and 27:52.74, respectively.

“I also want to be a champion just like my grandfather,” said Pagnanawon, who interestingly drew jersey No. 86 or the same year his grandfather won the Tour, the fabled cycling event, in Filipino.

Wincy also shines in swimming, having won medals in the Milo Little Olympics last year as well as running but hasn’t really given it a shot.

“He (Wincy) likes to play a lot of sports and we will support him whatever he chooses,” said the 60-year-old Rolando.

Another Talisay bet, Moira Erediano, ruled the premier girls’ 13-14 division covering 400m swim, 12km bike and 4km run in 39:22.01 to claim her third straight title in the same bracket, which she bids goodbye once she turns 14 on Nov. 11.

Jeanna Mariel Canete checked in at second in 40:38.71 while Kelly Long finished third in 43:24.46.

“I will now focus on sprint distances,” said Erediano, who started out as a mere spectator six years ago but has taken the sports seriously since.

Matthew Justine Hermosa, cousin of national team mainstay Andrew Kim Remolino, pulled the rug from under pre-race favorite Earol Belonguil to lift the boys’ 13-14 trophy in 35:08.33.