OLONGAPO: Australian Luke Bate came up with an impressive performance to win the men’s elite title in the 2024 Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) here on Saturday.
The 25-year-old from Perth submitted the best aggregate time of 54 minutes and 25 seconds in the race held over 750m swim, 20km bike, and 5km run at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Freeport Boardwalk.
Compatriot Christopher Deegan posted 54:32 for second place while Japan’s Amu Omuro (54:38) was third.
Australians Rory Thornhill (54:48) and Jack Chrome (55:00) came fourth and fifth, respectively, followed by Japanese Satoshi Iwamoto (55:13), Hokuto Obara, (55:28) and Kenshin Mori (55:34); Korean Kim Jusin (55:41); and Australian Samuel Mileham (55:47).
“I’ve been racing for eight years so I really wanted to win,” said the 6-foot-1 Bate, who resides in Wollongong City.
“It’s my first time in the Philippines, I’m glad I won,” said Bate, currently No. 8 in Australia. “I hope I can come back next year. It depends on my schedule.
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Cebuano Andrew Kim Remolino, who won two silvers in triathlon and one silver in duathlon at the South East Asian (SEA) Games, was the best finisher among the locals. He clocked 56:09 for 13th place, while province mate Matthew Justine Hermosa (56:38) was 16th.
Joshua Ramos of Baguio Benguet Triathlon (56:53) was 19th, and Filipino-Spanish Fernando Jose Casares, a two-time SEAG gold winner, was 23rd with a time of 57:44.
Meanwhile, South Korean Jeong Hye Rim registered 1:01:22 to secure the women’s title in the event presented by NTT and Asian Triathlon and organized by Triathlon Philippines in cooperation with SBMA.
Iceland’s Edda Hannesdottir (1:01:32) took the silver medal while Australia’s Chloe Bateup (1:01:47) settled for the bronze.
Indonesia’s Martina Ayu Pratiwi (1:02:11) was fourth followed by Japan’s Manami Hayashi (1:02:15), Filipino Raven Faith Alcoseba (1:02:20), Guam’s Manami Iijima (1:02:31), Japan’s Himeka Sato (1:02:38), and South Korea’s Kim Gyuri (1:03:19) and Kim Ji Yeon (1:03:50).
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It’s too hot, (but) except for the weather, I’m okay,” the 25-year-old Jeong said through an interpreter.
Jeong, who hails from Daejon City, was only hoping for a podium finish after placing 20th last year. She first joined in 2018.
“I did not expect to win. It’s been six years since I first joined the tournament, so I am very happy that I won the gold medal,” said Jeong, who pocketed the bronze medal in the junior division of the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Cozumel, Mexico.
Jeong debuted at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games where she won the silver medal in the mixed relay. At the 2022 Hangzhou Asiad, she was seventh in the individual event.
In the junior elite category, the top three finishers in the men’s division were Dayshaun Karl Ramos (1:02:05), Juan Miguel Tayag (1:02:40), and Darell Johnson (1:03:22).
The winners in the women’s division were Naomi Felicity Aytin (1:18:42), Edellaine Mae Diggs (1:18:36), and Maria Celinda Raagas (1:19:05).
The SuBIT is the longest-running Olympic distance
triathlon in Asia and is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Source: Philippines News Agency