Triathlete and ultramarathoner Rolando Espina, Jr., gave his hometown a share of his extraordinary stamina in the field of sports by running with his team 680 kilometers Negros Island Juan Negros Loop which began in starting Bacolod City going to some parts of Negros Occidental finishing the long-distance run in six days.
The young Espina is the youngest son of a seasoned journalist Rolando Espina, Sr., and the late Dr. Lourdes Llavore Espina.
He is an Ireland-based Filipino nurse.
Rolando, Jr. won some international awards in triathlon such as the UK Eskraghman Ironman Distance Triathlon in Northern Ireland 3.8-kilometer swim, a 180-km bike route, and a 42.2-km run in the triathlon course in Eskraghman, Dungganon and also finished the prestigious and grueling Spartathlon, the toughest ultra-marathon road race in the world that covered a total of 246.8 kilometers from Athens to the historic city-state of Sparta in under 36 hours.
This Juan Run - Negros Loop Charity run is for the benefit of HOPE for Kids with cancer.
Meanwhile, Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez welcomed Espina’s team at his office at around midnight on January 28, 2024.
“I welcomed the Juan Run - Negros Loop runners and our fellow Victoriahanon fitness enthusiasts who joined their segment passing through our city. I'm proud to be able to witness their making of history as the first runners to finish the almost 680-kilometer run headed by ultramarathoner Rolando Espina, Jr., his core team. A good feat made even greater as they did this for kids with cancer,” he said. *