MANILA, Philippines – The forthcoming National Duathlon Championships will feature the finest Filipino competitors in the run-bike-run event along with a strong foreign participation as the races form part of the selection process of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
Over 450 duathletes across the country are expected to troop to the New Clark City in Tarlac in time for the December 4 race where they will see action in the standard races as well as in the sprint and super sprint events along with the best from Singapore and Malaysia.
“The main actions are in the sprint events since the events in the Cambodia SEA Games are all sprints with Singapore and Malaysia sending their best to measure up with our elites,'' said TRAP president Tom Carrasco.
The races will be supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, HOKA, Filinvest New Clark City, Standard Insurance, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines, Fissan and Fitbar as major sponsors while the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), New Clark City and the local government of Capas, Tarlac are the venue partners.
According to Carrasco, the signature event of the TRAP is the 13-15 age group category (super sprint) starring the country's Youth Olympic Games aspirants and the next generation of duathletes/triathletes in the national team.
“The top Filipino finishers will be in the short list for the SEA Games in Cambodia, but we will also consider the other duathlon events results in 2022,” said Carrasco.
More entries are expected to sign up prior to the races where Pocari Sweat serves as hydration partner and PTV Sports and Radyo Pilipinas 2 as media partners.
A total of 103 teams will participate, most of them from 26 cities and provinces in the country and foreign contingents from Australia, Brazil, France, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.