SEA Games bets slug it out in national triathlon

BAYAWAN CITY, Negros Oriental – Close to a hundred athletes slug it out for fame, fortune and slots in this year’s Southeast Asian Games when the National Triathlon Championships unfolds today in this scenic coastal city of Negros Oriental.

This one-day event, which jumpstarts the Triathlon Association of the Philippines’ year-long program, offers a total purse of P700,000 courtesy of the TRAP and Bayawan, a city 20 times the size of neighboring Dumaguete.

Army man George Vilog, who topped last year’s edition held in Guimaras Province, leads a strong field that includes defending age group titlist Sean Lim, former national team mainstay Peter Gonzales, 2002 and 2003 national champion Noel Salvador, Eldy Banluta, Mikki Quilala, veteran Abet Alon-alon and Fil-Am Arland Macasieb, the top RP finisher in last year’s Asian Championship in Subic.

Looker Sandra Araullo, on the other hand, spearheads the distaff side as she guns for a successful title defense against an equally strong cast in 2004 age group titlist Alexandra Ganzon, 2003 national winner Ani Karina de Leon, LC Langit, Mimi Lucas and former national junior champion Kaye Lopez.

Aside from the P25,000, P15,000 and P10,000 to the top three placers in both divisions and the bragging rights as this year’s best, the participants will also fight it out for berths in the national team since the TRAP, headed by Tom Carrasco, will use this event as one of the SEAG qualifying meets with the other two being the Subic International Championship this May and the Asian Championship in Singapore this July.

"It’s an honor for us to host this national sporting event," said host Mayor German Sarana, who was accompanied by Vice-Mayor Rene Gaudiel in a press briefing yesterday. "We hope that by hosting this event, we’re putting the city of Bayawan in the national sports landscape."

On the side, there’s the inter-club with the winner receiving P20,000 the next two P10,000 and P5,000, respectively, and the junior sprint race with the top three in both categories bagging P10,000, P5,000 and P2,500.

And as an added incentive, a total of P210,000 will be awarded to record breakers in the standard distance race.