JAPAN ran away with six of the eight category crowns, while the Philippines swept the Junior Elite classes in the Mt. Mayon Asian Triathlon Confederation Paratriathlon Championships on Friday in Legaspi City.
Kaji Tetsuki—a silver medalist in the World Cup in Magog, Canada—led the Japanese charge by ruling the 750-meter swim/20-km bike/5-km run race of the Men-PT55 category in one hour, four minutes and four seconds.
Paratriathletes from eight countries competed in the category with another Japanese, Sato Keichi, finishing second in 1:04.45 and Korean Jong Kwan Kim winding up third in 1:16.17.
Jumpei Kimura won the Men-PTWC class with an even faster time of 1:03.20, leading a Japanese sweep of the category. Ryota Yoshida finished more than two minutes behind, while Seiji Tanaka was a distant third.
In the Men-PTVI, Hong Kong’s Kim Wa Chu broke the Japanese streak as he finished in 1:05.18 for the gold medal. Zhaladin Abduvaliev clocked 1:07.23 for the silver and Japanese Satoru Yoneoka checked in at 1:08.41 for the bronze.
Jerome Nelmida was the best placed Filipino at seventh place with a time of 1:19.26. His twin brother Joshua finished a dramatic last in 1:26.38.
“We gave it our best and for me, this is my biggest race. Just hearing the people cheering us in the bike leg really touched me,” Jerome Nelmida said.
China’s Jiachao Wang clocked 1:04.25 to win the Men-PTS4 category, where Philippine entries Alex Silverio and Sixto Ducay were disqualified.
Silverio made the wrong turn in the swim leg claiming he was disoriented, while Ducay failed to complete the bike loops.
Japanese Hideki Uda (1:06.18) and veteran Nurbek Toichubaev (1:12.15) completed the podium.
“It was unfortunate that Silverio and Ducay were disqualified, but it should serve as a good lesson for them. Overall, this was a very good race with 11 Asian countries participating, including the Asia Cup race this Sunday,” Triathlon Association of the Philippines President Tom Carrasco Jr. said.
Cebu’s Kim Remolino and Karen Manayon won in their respective categories in the Junior Elite with Remolino clocking 1:00.02, beating Macao’s Chin Wa Wong (1:00.15) and Yiu Fung Ng (1:02.45).
Manayon finished almost a minute ahead of national teammate Lauren Plaza with a 1:08.58 time. Jacqui Lamparero finished third in 1:14.45.