Benedicto, Abad dominate Powerade Duathlon

MANILA, Philippines - National duathletes August Benedicto and Mirasol Abad stamped their class to rule the third and final leg of the Powerade Duathlon at the Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga last Sunday.

Behind by two minutes in the first 5-km run, Benedicto rallied in the bike leg to overhaul erstwhile leader Robeno Javier and top the men’s division in 1:58.51.

Javier, a teammate of Benedicto in the national team, settled for second in 2:00.52 while fellow national team member Jose Carlo Pedregosa, slowed down by a right hamstring injury, placed third with a 2:03.33 clocking.

Benedicto, 26, pocketed P5,000 in winning his second straight Powerade duathlon leg in the event backed by San Benito Farms, producers of organic fruits, vegetables and Chia “power seeds.”

Javier took P3,000 while Pedregosa received P2,000. 

Abad, on the other hand, completed her runaway win in the women’s side as she timed 2:28.35 for the crown worth P5,000.

Team David Salon’s Joyette Jopson placed second in 2:39.03 and took P3,000 while Anna Liza Maraan finished third 2:51.38 and received P2,000.

Race director Thumbie Remigio, meanwhile, said a bigger, more thrilling Powerade duathlon will be held next year even as he thanked all those who took part in this year’s staging of the event.