PH triathletes eye Olympics

After their success in Southeast Asia, Filipino triathletes are now looking at the direction of the Olympics.

And for the world to notice them, Philippine Olympic Committee chair and triathlon chief Tom Carrasco said Tuesday that elite triathletes Claire Adorna, Nikko Huelgas, Kim Mangrobang and Jonard Saim would have to break into the top 200 world rankings.

“We’re sending back our athletes to high-performance training camps overseas. They need to be in the top 200 for them to be considered,” said Carrasco during the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum at Shakey’s Malate Tuesday.

Adorna and Huelgas won the first two gold medals of the Philippines in the recent 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore while Mangrobang got the silver after placing behind Adorna. Saim, favored to win the race due to his 10th-place performance in the Incheon Asian Games, finished fifth in the swim-bike-run test of endurance.

“We’re actually looking at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. There’s still a chance for 2016 (Rio Olympics), but we’re not in the world ranking yet,” said Carrasco.

He pointed out the only open window for them to qualify for Rio would be to finish in the top three of the Asian Triathlon Championships next year in Japan.