Sunday, March 23, 2008 Davaoeño wins Bantayan triathlon
OUT-of-towner Paolo Ouano stole the thunder from local bets as he collected two titles in the Bantayan Island Sportscapade last Thursday and Friday in Bantayan Island.
Ouano, who hails from Davao City, topped the triathlon event, winning over local star Noy Jopson by two minutes.
Ouano finished the Olympic distance of a 1.5-km swim, 40-km. bike and 10-km. run along the beaches of Bantayan in two hours and 12.34 minutes.
Jopson, on the other hand, finished the course with a clocking of 2:14.32. The third place diadem went to Cebuano RJ Balbuena, who registered a time of 2:36.20.
Ouano completed his twinkill after winning in the Ocean Man challenge. Ouano registered the shortest time in finishing a course, which consisted of a 200-meter swim course and 300-meter sprint done over and over again for four times to outplay Cebuano competitors.
Settling for runner-up honors were Niel Reyes and Ralph Arce. In the distaff side, showing the grit the men competitors had displayed was Anna Carla Pangilinan. Pangilinan has not competed for a while, but had not lost her touch as she strutted her stuff in the race, which only men were attracted to do. Pangilinan was handed the distaff side trophy.
This year’s edition of the Bantayan Sportscapade had attracted lesser participants. Competitors from Bacolod and other neighboring provinces had begged off from the joining the event, leaving organizers with a lean number to deal with.
According to organizer Bas Ceballos, the Funsports-organized event, which is on its fifth year, remained a success and continued to be one of Bantayan’s major Holy Week attractions.
Apart from triathlon and Ocean Man, there is also the adventure race, which was still being staged as of press time yesterday. (MCB)
