Chinese, Japanese triathletes triumph

SUBIC, Zambales, Philippines – Powerhouse triathlon countries China and Japan split honors after the first day of competitions at the 2010 ITU – Subic Bay International Triathlon held yesterday morning with China dominating the female Elite and Elite Under-23 categories and Japan reigning in the Asian Junior Triathlon Championships.

People’s Republic of China’s top ranked female triathlete Wang Yi, competing in Subic for the very first time, led a three-woman Chinese group right from the 1.5K swim to the 40K bike and 10K run and finished 1-2-3. Wang clocked 2:11.44, second placer Fan Dan 2:12.29 and third placer Zhang Yi 2:17.46.

A sports training student in Shantung province, Wang expressed confidence about winning the race and employed a strategy that had her with the lead group from the start of the race until the finish line.

“I like the course, very scenic but the hills in the bike leg gave me some troubles,” said the champion through an interpreter.

Filipina Lea Coline Langit, a veteran of the 2006 Qatar Asian Games and currently the country’s number one female triathlete, was still bothered by a leg injury suffered earlier but still finished fourth, the best placed Filipina in the lean field of women elite entries.”That was my longest run in three weeks, but the problem was that I was alone against the two Chinese girls who were helping one another,” said Langit who clocked 2:19.11.

U-23 champion was China’s Liu Ting followed by Japanese Hiraide Miu and Ito Yayoi with Liu submitting a cumulative time of 2:12.08 , Miu clocked 2:13.17 and Ito had a finishing time of 2:14.41.

The event, hosted by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and sponsored by Speedo, Sunkist, David’s Salon, Vitwater, Citibank, Fitness First, Gatorade, K-Swiss, and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), also featured the Asian Junior Triathlon Championship with Japan this time holding sway, sweeping the female division with Sato Yuka (1:06.14), Takahashi Yuko (1:07.22) and Yamamoto Nao (1:07.37).

 Kohei Tsubaki reigned in the junior male division in 59:46. Shi Kejun from China and Lee Ji Hong from Korea completed the top 3 in the category with Shi clocking 1:00.00 and Lee four seconds slower at 1:00.04.

Philippine bets did not fare well in this competition with Kim Mangrobang ending in eighth place while the best- placed Filipino junior triathlete was Nikko Huelgas in 15th place.

In the female mini sprint category, two Filipinas finished 1-2. Annabele Torres and Denise Garcia clocked 46:09 and 46:59, respectively.

The male mini sprint category was won by Hong Kong’s Li Tsz Hei in 35:17, followed by Christopher Williams from Malaysia in 39:02 and Filipino Allen Santiago in 39:12.