YOG qualifiers in Cebu

THE National Age Group Triathlon race in Cebu on April 7 will be the second Youth Olympics Games (YOG) qualifying race.

It will be held at the Alegre Beach Resort, Sogod, Cebu.

The Supertrikids Multi-Sports Festival on April 14 was supposed to be the YOG
qualifier but it was cancelled due to disagreements between the organizers and the Ayala Alabang Village Association.

“The event on April 14 was supposed to be the second YOG but due to the cancellation, it gave us an idea to bring a YOG qualifier in Cebu,” Triathlon Association of the Philippines (Trap) youth developmental coach Melvin Fausto said.

Fausto added that the race will attract the best young triathletes from all over the country who are vying for the 2014 YOG slots.

The 2014 YOG will be held in Nanjing, China, where triathlon will be making its debut race.

Trap executive director Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez said they usually hold this race in Plantation Bay Resort and Spa but due to the growing number of participants, they decided to move it to Sogod.

“We just started opening up a Supertrikids divisiuon just last year and now we have Justin and Yuan Chiongbian among the country’s top young triathletes,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez added that Justin, who is now among the top four contenders for the YOG slots, is one of the favorites to make it because he has achieved a lot in just one year.

Aside from Justin, the other contenders are Jimuel Patillan, Sixto Louie Lalanto, OJ Nobles and Samuel Ranque.

Meanwhile, Cebu’s veteran marathoner turned triathlete Philip Duenas has confirmed his participation in the Tri Camp on March 24 to 26 at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo De Cebu, Mandaue City.

Duenas, who recently placed second in the 21K division in the men’s Xterra trail run, will be joined by six adults and 30 participants for the camp that will be facilitated by Fausto and Franz Baguio.

“The registration is still on-going in the adults and kids category but we are limiting the adults category to 20 participants,” Millete Chiongbian said.

The camp and YOG qualifiers are just two of the four major triathlon events in Cebu.

The other two are the technical courses for officials and the level one course for coaches.