CEBU, Philippines – It's a busy year ahead for MotorAce Racing team having set several goals to achieve for the rest of 2016.
First on the list is for Mary Joy Tabal, the country's reigning marathon queen, to become the first Filipina to make it to the Olympics marathon event.
If plans don't miscarry, Tabal will train for two months in Japan to boost her stock.
"It's now 80 percent sure that Tabal will be training in Japan for her to get the qualifying time of 2:45 for the Olympics. We are just waiting for the letter of endorsement of the Philippine Embassy for her to be allowed to train there for two months since Japan only normally allows 30 days for the visa," said MotorAce's Jonel Borromeo in a press conference yesterday at Casino Español de Cebu.
Tabal's long-time mentor Philip Duenas is also in deep training for two 70.3 Ironman events in Subic this March and in Cebu this August. He is also scheduled to see action in two 5i50 tilts.
This will be the first time for Duenas to see action in triathlon under the banner of MotorAce since he bolted out of Ford Forza.
MotorAce, on the other hand, will be fielding in four bets in the upcoming Xterra Philippines in Albay on February 7. They are brothers Jonel and Chipi Borromeo, World Championship campaigner Tenggoy Colmenares and Tolitz Albina.
Albina is the latest addition to MotorAce's field of athletes after Borromeo saw his potential in the sport.
A native of Dumaguete, Albina will compete in the elite class while Colmenares and Jonel Borromeo will race against each other in the 45-49 age group.
Aside from competing, Jonel Borromeo said they are also planning to hold their own off-road triathlon series in different parts of the Visayas this year.
"Though it would be my first time to do cross or off-road triathlon, I find this event very interesting and exciting that we are planning to hold our own series this year," said Borromeo. (FREEMAN)