IRONMAN 70.3 Davao: Van Linden bests younger rivals; Ramo shines

DAVAO CITY – Eric van der Linden defied age and expectations, turning back the clock to outperform competitors half his age as he claimed the IRONMAN 70.3 Davao championship here on Sunday with remarkable endurance and competitive spirit.

In the women's division, Leyann Ramo continued her winning streak by putting up another dominant performance to seize the crown. The race, featuring a 1.9km swim, 90km bike, and 21.1km run, also highlighted the newly developed Davao City Coastal Road.

Van der Linden, the 50-year-old Olympian from Schagen, North Holland, built an early lead with a strong swim and bike performance, which proved crucial as he withstood a determined late charge from John Patrick Ciron and Franklin Yee in the run segment to clinch the overall men’s championship in 04:19:27.

Meanwhile, Ramo showcased her strength in all events, but shone brightly in the bike and run stages, securing the overall women's title in 04:48:18.

Ranged against younger rivals, van der Linden proved that experience and tenacity can outshine youth, as he outpaced the field to claim victory in the premier endurance race organized by The IRONMAN Group and hosted by Davao City.

Van der Linden set the tone early, dominating the swim and bike stages of the grueling race. His powerful start (00:27:50) created a substantial lead, giving him the cushion needed to withstand a fierce challenge from Ciron and Yee, who both mounted strong comeback in the final run stages.

Despite his Filipino rivals’ valiant effort, van der Linden’s early advantage and steady pace in the run allowed him to cross the finish line first, securing a well-earned victory. He timed 02:19:06 in bike and closed out with 01:27:18 clocking in the run.

Ciron posted a 00:30:47 time in swim and 02:22:42 in bike but flashed his running skills to finish in 01:21:52 for a 04:19:45 clocking for second overall, while Yee, who timed 00:32:59 and 02:22:15 in the first two events, respectively, churned out the fastest clocking in run (01:20:07) to snare third place in 04:20:25.

Former full IRONMAN Philippines champion Petr Lukosz of the Czech Republic came in fourth overall in 04:24:49, while Jorry Ycong placed fifth in 04:26:08 followed by Satar Salem (04:26:10), recent Bohol 5150 winner Irienold Reig, Jr. (04:26:39), M.R. Santiago (04:28:20), John Leerams Chicano (04:30:14) and A.R. Toroganan (04:31:30) in that order.

In women’s division, Ramo, from Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte, showcased her rising prowess by capturing the title with relentless determination. Fresh off a victory in Subic, Ramo posted leg times of 00:29:47 (swim), 02:34:37 (bike) and 01:38:44 (run).

Sophie Capistrano placed a distant second in 05:12:14 with leg times of 00:35:44, 02:38:18, and 01:52:03, while Chloe Jane Ong wound up third in 05:21:05 with clockings of 00:36:29, 02:40:20, and 01:56:04.

The IRONMAN 70.3 Davao also served as a grand showcase for the newly developed Davao City Coastal Road, adding a scenic yet challenging backdrop to the grueling race. Both van der Linden and Ramo exemplified the spirit of the competition, combining experience, resilience, and strategy to emerge as champions in their respective divisions.

Van der Linden also led the age-group winners in 50-54, with Ciron claiming the 25-29 crown, and Yee ruling the 18-24 division. Ycong topped the 30-34 class, Lukosz emerged on top of the 40-44 group, while Ramo also ran away with the women’s 30-34 title.

Capistrano settled for the women’s 18-24 trophy, and Ong bagged the 35-39 title.