Javier, Bitbit rule Columbia duathlon

MANILA, Philippines - Two national athletes ruled the men’s and women’s elite divisions of the opening leg of the Columbia Trailmasters Duathlon series in contrasting fashion inside the sprawling Nuvali estate in Sta. Rosa, Laguna last Sunday.

But while RP cyclist Marites Bitbit was the runaway women’s champion, Robeno Javier upset Ryan Mendoza, surging past the 2007 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist in the last 200 meters in clinching the men’s crown of the inaugural event sponsored by Columbia.

Javier, who placed sixth in the Asian Cup held in Nongkhai, Thailand last March, topped the 40-kilometer run-bike-run contest in a time of one hour, 46 minutes and 14 seconds over the fading Mendoza, who came in five seconds later, to pocket the top prize of P10,000 and P10,000 in gift certificates.

“ I poured it on when Ryan slowed down in the last 200 meters,” said the 24-year-old Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan native of his victory over the fancied Mendoza in the event also backed by Nuvali, Banco de Oro, Hero’s Sausage, Gatorade and Royal Caribbean Jamaica Patties.

“I didn’t prepare well because of military training,” said the 31-year-old Airman Second Class, who settled for the runner-up purse of P8,000 plus P5,000 in gift certificates while Roldan Antonio (1:48.21) took third, worth P6,000 plus P3,000 in GCs.