MANILA – New Zealand’s Sam Kingsford seeks a breakthrough win in the IRONMAN 70.3 Lapu-Lapu, which kicks off on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, in Mactan Newtown, Cebu.
Kingsford, who has eight years of professional racing experience, finished fourth last year.
She is expected to face a strong challenge from compatriots Paige Carnage and Amelia Watkinson, and Australians Lauren Hume, Sophie Malowiecki and Sarah Thomas in the competition featuring a 1.9km swim, 90km cycling and 21km run.
The 21-year-old Carnage has reached the podium at the Port Macquarie 70.3, while Watkinson is known for her skills and mental toughness honed through years of top-level racing in Asia and beyond.
Hume won in Cairns and Port Macquarie, while Malowiecki was runner-up in the Sunshine Coast last year. Thomas has been competing in elite races for the past 10 years.
Kazakhstan’s Katya Sabalina, with over a decade of international experience, will be making her debut in the IRONMAN 70.3, the premier half-distance triathlon in the country. / PNA