Casares, Alcoseba crowned champs in TRAP's National Duathlon Championship

MANILA, Philippines – Fernando Jose Casares ruled the sprint elite men and Raven Faith Alcoseba topped the sprint elite women of the National Duathlon Championship 2022 of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

Casares, the reigning Southeast Asia Games gold medalist in triathlon, brought his act to the 5km run, 20km bike and 2.5 km run event and beat John Leerams Chicano, the 2019 SEA Games triathlon champion, in a high-speed finish.

“I tried to break away, but the other guys are strong, too. I somehow opened a gap in the second run and kept that gap so I won,” said Casares after crossing the line in 58 minutes and three seconds.

Chicano checked six seconds later for the silver medal and Maynard Pecson arrived third in 58:13 during the race that served as TRAP's pre-qualifier for the coming 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia next year.

It was actually a top five finish for the Filipinos after Andrew Kim Remolino placed fourth, 26 seconds off Casares,  and Raymund Torio wound up fifth, 28 seconds back, during the event supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, HOKA, Filinvest New Clark City, Standard Insurance, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines, Fissan and Fitbar as major sponsors.

In the women's sprint, Alcoseba clocked one hour, six minutes and 32 seconds, beating Louisa Middleditch of Singapore (1:07:10) for the gold medal of the race backed by the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), New Clark City and the local government of Capas, Tarlac. 

The event is likewise supported by Unilever while Pocari Sweat served as hydration partner and PTV Sports and Radyo Pilipinas 2 as media partners.

“It was tough. I tried to break away in the run, but they stayed with me until I found an opening in the transition from the bike,” said Alcoseba.

Merry Joy Trupa checked in third (1:08:50), Erika Nicole Burgos arrived fourth (1:09:03) and Karen Manayon placed fifth (1:09:25) during the national champs where a total of 103 teams participated, including foreign contingents from Australia, Brazil, France, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.

Three-time SEA Games triathlon champion Kim Mangrobang, who also ruled women's duathlon in the Vietnam SEAG early this year, didn't participate in the race.

“In Cambodia (SEA Games), all events are sprints that's why our elite athletes focused on the sprint distance,” said TRAP president Tom Carrasco. “Out of the seven events, we'll be aiming for at least four (gold medals).”

The Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh will host the SEA Games on May 5-17, 2022 with two events each (individual men and women) in triathlon and duathlon and three event in aquathlon. Matthew Justine Hermosa won the junior elite men and Jena Valdez captured the junior elite women title.

Also winning in their respective races were Darell Johnson Bada (men 13-15 super sprint), Wella Mae Coronado (women 13-15 super sprint), Joseff Miguel Quirino (men 16-19 sprint) and Jouvane Samilin (women 16-19 sprint).