Pedregoza, Abad make it to World Games

MANILA, Philippines - Sterling performances in the respective qualifying competitions they took part in earned for the grizzled Filipino internationalists Carlo Pedregoza and Mirasol Abad the right to represent the countryin the duathlon events of the 2014 World Games set July 26-29 in Cali, Colombia.

Triathlon Association of the Philippines president Tom Carrasco announced during yesterday’s SCOOP session at the Kamayan Restaurant-Padre Faura that this will be the first time that the Philippines will be represented in run-and-bike discipline of the World Games, the Olympics of sports not included in the calendar of the quadrennial summer spectacular.

For making to the World Games, Carlo and Mirasol had earned the distinction of breaking the barriers no other Filipinos succeeded before,” Carrasco, who is also the Philippine Olympic Committee chair, said.

“Qualifying in the World Games came as a distinct honor not only for Mirasol and Carlo and TRAP in particular, and the country, in general,” Carrasco said. “And I’m sure that with the experience of the two gained in campaigning in local and international and cycling competitions, Carlo and Mirasol are capable of giving a good account of themselves in their events.

Both Pedregoza and Abad have been regular fixtures in middle distance races before becoming topnotch duathletes.

Pedregoza, who has a personal coach in his father Edgardo, himself a former distance campaigner, made it to the World Games by virtue of his gold medal finish in the Indonesian International Duathlon Championship held early this year in Palembang.

The 29-year-old Abad earned her berth earlier during last year’s Asian championship where she brought home a bronze medal.