Chinese bet, Ramo pull off IRONMAN 70.3 Subic race wins

SUBIC – Chinese Peng Cheng Li and local standout Leyann Ramo delivered outstanding performances at the IRONMAN 70.3 Subic Bay, demonstrating remarkable speed, strength, and endurance in their victories here Sunday.

Li maintained a commanding lead throughout the race, finishing with an impressive time of 4:20:05. His dominant performance saw him outpace Great Britain's Christopher Weeks by a substantial margin of 10 minutes in the challenging 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride, and 21.1km run event.

Weeks finished in 4:30:18, while August Benedicto, a local favorite, secured third place in 4:34:21.

Li’s performance was particularly notable during the closing run stage, where the Chinese dashed to the finish with an energy that belied the grueling nature of the half-triathlon race.

The IRONMAN Philippines and the IM 70.3 Subic drew over a thousand triathletes from 54 countries, underscoring the global appeal of the IRONMAN Group-organized event. The two races also offered qualifying slots for three World Championships, including the ongoing full-distance race featuring a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride, and 42.2km run.

Li, who placed sixth in the full IRONMAN Australia last year, set a strong pace early in the swim leg with the fastest time of 28:38, establishing a two-minute lead over Weeks. Transitioning to the bike leg, the 33-year-old multi-age group winner in 70.3 races extended his lead with a time of 2:21:38. He capped off his performance with a powerful finishing kick during the run, completing it in 1:23:58.

Li’s performance mirrored his winning effort at the IRONMAN 70.3 Korea in 2019, highlighting the consistent discipline he has maintained over the years.

Meanwhile, Ramo showcased impressive form despite fluctuating weather conditions, including intermittent sunshine and overcast skies. She set the pace with a swim time of 00:30:57, maintained her lead during the bike leg with a time of 02:45:42, and concluded strongly with a run time of 01:47:06, securing the women’s overall crown with a total time of 05:07:33.

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” said Ramo, proudly representing Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte.

Winner of the IRONMAN 70.3 Puerto Princesa last year, the 31-year-old Tri SND Barracuda spearhead expressed heartfelt gratitude to her family, teammates and province for their unwavering support in her latest triumph.

Israel’s Hadar Shahar finished second with a time of 05:16:04, posting leg times of 00:32:38 (swim), 02:46:26 (bike), and 01:52:53 (run). Hong Kong’s Ruby Cheng claimed third place in 05:23:57, with respective times of 00:29:44, 02:49:23, and 01:58:32 in the swim, bike, and run segments.

Ramo also earned the age-group title in the 30-34 division ahead of Cheng, while Shahar topped the 25-29 category, culminating a significant triathlon weekend that included the Underpants Run and the Choco Hero IRONKIDS.

Weeks began strongly with a swim time of 00:30:26, followed by a bike time of 02:22:41, and concluded the run in 01:33:27, finishing with a total time of 04:30:18. Benedicto, winner of the IRONMAN 70.3 Cebu in 2022, completed the swim in 00:34:26, the bike in 02:23:48, and the run in 01:32:49, finishing at 04:34:21.

The top three male finishers also ruled their respective age-group categories: Li claimed the 30-34 age group, Weeks secured the 35-39 trophy, and Benedicto won in the 40-44 division.

Benedicto also narrowly edged out Thai top triathlete Jaray Jearnai in both overall and age-group standings, with Jearnai finishing in 04:37:08 with leg times of 00:30:23 (swim), 02:26:56 (bike), and 01:35:16 (run).

Furthermore, the top 25 male triathletes from the ongoing full-distance race earned coveted spots in the Kona, Hawaii World Championship scheduled from Oct. 22-28. Additionally, the top 15 female athletes secured qualification for the IM World Championship in Nice, France, set for Sept. 24-28.

The IM 70.3 Subic Bay also offered 45 age-group qualifying slots for the Vinfast IM 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, New Zealand, on Dec. 14-15, with 15 slots reserved specifically for female participants.

In relay competitions, Go for Gold Team I topped the men’s event in 04:05:20, beating Isabela Tri Club (04:10:02) and Go for Gold Team 2 (04:19:17), while Isabela Tri Club topped the mixed relay in 04:25:29, and the Isabela Tri Club Girls ruled the women’s side in 05:04:32.

Other division winners were Kenneth Bonda (4:45:49), and A.R. Toroganan (4:40:05) in 25-29.

Backers of the event were Century Tuna, Subic Bay, Vinfast, HOKA, ROKA, Breitling 1884, Athletic Brewing Co., Hyperice, Maurten, Santini, AG1, Wahoo, Qatar Airways, Fulgaz, TriDot, Always Advancing, Nirvana, Compressport, EKOI, Outside, 2Go, Birch Tree, ION Advanced Electrolyte Drink, Lightwater, NLEX, SCTEX, NLEX Connector, One Sport, Cignal, Santé, Sportograf.com, Teresa Marble, and The STAR.