IRONMAN, IM 70.3 unfold at Subic

MANILA, Philippines — The IRONMAN Philippines and the IM 70.3 Subic Bay take place today at the Subic Bay Boardwalk with John Dedeus Alcala, a prominent figure in the triathlon community, wearing a bullseye on his back.

Alcala, winner of the half-triathlon races in Palawan and Subic over the past two years, leads a determined group of Filipino athletes against a formidable lineup of international competitors in the fourth staging of the full-distance IRONMAN. The race covers a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride, and 42.2km run on a world-class championship course.

The weather forecast of cloudy skies with thundershowers both in the morning and afternoon adds an extra layer of difficulty for the hundreds of racers also vying for slots in the World Championships.

Also worth watching is August Benedicto in the 11th edition of the IM 70.3 race, which includes a 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride, and 21.1km run. Benedicto, a native of Tarlac now based in Ireland, seeks to replicate his 2022 victory in Cebu despite facing stiff competition from international athletes.

“I’m thrilled to compete here, even though I’m now based in Ireland,” said Benedicto.

Meanwhile, Eleora Avanzado and Euan Ramos ruled the premier age category in yesterday’s Choco Hero IRONKIDS event held at the Subic Bay Boardwalk.

Avanzado edged Celinda Raagas in a close finish in the girls’ 13-14 division with a total time of 26:34 over the 250m swim, 6km bike ride and 2km run.

Raagas followed closely with a total time of 26:49 followed by Eliesse dela Cruz in 29:01.

Ramos dominated the boys’ 13-14 division, posting a total time of 22:37 (03:11 in the swim, 10:52 in the bike, and 06:51 in the run), outpacing Joan Marcelo, who finished with a time of 24:05. David Mora claimed third place with a time of 24:31.

With 54 countries represented, both the full IRONMAN and IM 70.3 highlight the events’ global appeal.