After settling for third place twice, August Benedicto unleashed a spirited finish this time to conquer the strength-sapping 112.9-kilometer triathlon race of Unilab Active Health’s Tri United 3 Sunday.
Benedicto captured his first male Elite crown in this year’s Tri United series with a time of four hours, 47 minutes and two seconds after steadily working his way to the lead of the race that fired off on Dungaree Beach at the Subic Freeport in Zambales and ended at Sandbox, Alviera in Porac, Pampanga.
“I really prepared hard for this event for the past two months,” said Benedicto, a third placer in the first two editions, after ruling the 1.9K swim-90K bike-21K run event.
Anna Stroh also banked on a tenacious finish to cop the female Elite title anew with a 5:20:59 clocking.
“It was a great race, but challenging because it was windy in the bike and hot in the run,” said the 35-year-old Stroh, the Tri United 2 winner in San Juan, Batangas, last July.
Surviving the gruelling test of endurance, Benedicto climbed out of 10th spot after the first transition with a strong showing in the bike race, then later found enough energy to sustain his lead in the run leg that equaled the distance of a half marathon.
Other male champions were Timbol Deo (18-24 age group), Robinson Esteves (25-29), Ralph Jerome Salvador (30-34), Jeff Valdez (35-39), Rayzon Galdonez (40-44), Jojo Macalintal (45-49), Joevic Pajarillo (50-54) and Thomas Kuhne (55-above).
Ceri Ruzzi (30-34), Amanda Carpo-Bond (35-39), Bernadette Tan (40-44) and Sandra Reid (45-above) ruled the female side, while Last Minute Tri Team A’s Rafael Dominic Echiverri, Aaron Paul Quintia and Jeffrey Sotto topped the team relay.
United Laboratories Inc. president and chief executive officer Clinton Campos Hess presided over the kickoff of the event that drew 700 triathletes, while vice president Jan Evangelista fired the starting gun.
For full results, visit race organizer BikeKing’s website at www.bikekingphilippines.com. Jasmine W. Payo