MANILA, Philippines — A crack Japanese team looms as the favorite in the Paratriathlon Asian Championship event of the K-Swiss ITU Subic Bay International Triathlon (Subit) unfolding Saturday at the Subic Freeport.
Determined to make an impact on the competition, Japan is fielding visually impaired Ryu Nakazawa, Toshihiro Shirae and Atsuko Yamada in the sprint distance paratriathlon competition along with teammates Shingo Kuboyama, Noboyulki Domon, Toshio Furuhata and Miho Hamada.
The Japanese contingent is expected to encounter stiff resistance from teams from Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines.
Heading the PH bid are Andy Avellana, Godfrey Taberna and 2013 Subit paratriathlon silver medalist Sixto Ducay.
International Triathlon Union classifiers Marguerite Christophers and Peter Steggall will determine the paratriathletes’ categories on April 24 and 25.
The event, the longest-running Olympic-distance competition in Asia, has breached the 1,000-participant mark with the bulk of the field vying in the interclub and age-group races.
A chance to represent the Philippines in the 2014 World Age-Group Championships in Canada await age-group winners. Cedelf P. Tupas
Subit backers: K-Swiss, Century Tuna, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Tourism Department, Philippine Sports Commission(PSC), Harbor Point, Ayala Malls, Canon, Traveler’s Hotel, Blackbeard’s Seafood Island, Asian Center for Insulation Philippines, Gatorade, Speedo, Standard Insurance and Green Triathlon.