INQUIRER Sports

FILIPINO TRIATHLETES are in for a tough grind in the next two months with the Triathlon Association of Philippines (Trap) joining three international competitions and putting up four local races.

Lea Coline Langit, a veteran of the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, will see action in the Asian Aquathlon and Invitational Triathlon in Palembang, Indonesia, on Oct. 10 and 11, while national champion Neil Catiil and Kim Mangrobang are vying in the Hong Kong Invitational-ITU Premium Race on Oct. 17 and 18.

The trio will lead the country’s bid in the Asian Duathlon Championship at the Subic Bay Gateway Park on Nov. 15.

A total of 15 countries will compete in the elite (10K run, 40K bike and 5K run), sprint (5K run, 23.5K bike and 2.5K run) and youth mini-sprint (2.5K run and 12.2K bike and 2.5K run) categories.

Joining them are women’s national titlist Monica Torres, August Benedicto, Robeno Javier, Rowel Odonio and Mirasol Abad.

Langit, who is coming off a training stint in South Korea and Australia, finished third in the Dijon Triathlon in France last July.

“Trap has set 2009 as the year for developing and exposing our top athletes to local and international competitions,” said Trap president Tom Carrasco Jr.

Trap is also staging two legs of the 2009 National Age Group Triathlon Series—in Los Baños, Laguna on Oct. 18 and Ayala Alabang Village on Dec. 5.