Filipino junior triathletes rule Singapore tilt

The four Cebuano junior triathletes who took the Singapore International Triathlon by storm with their trophies (from left) Justin Chiongbian (16-19 gold), Ralph Eduard So (14-15 bronze), Aaliyah Mataragnon (14-15 bronze) and Yuan Chiongbian (14-15 gold). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/Cebu Daily News

Brothers Fredric Albert Yuan and Justin Liam Chiongbian produced a pair of golden performances in the recent 2015 Singapore Triathlon held at the East Coast Park in Singapore.

The 15-year-old Yuan, a 2014 Batang Pinoy triathlon champion, clocked 32 minutes and 51.63 seconds in the 200-meter swim, 12km bike and
1.5km run youth category while his elder sibling Justin proved fastest in the 16-19 junior class (750k swim, 18km bike, 5km run) in one hour,
two minutes and 17 seconds.

After placing third in the same race last year, Yuan never relinquished the lead from start to finish as the Cebu-based triathlete fended off the stiff challenge of Australian Aaron Kiss, who checked in second (34:16.93). Filipino Ralph Eduard So finished third (35:40.78).

In contrast, Justin took control of the race in the run sequence after emerging from the water third behind Singaporeans Bryce Chong and Zacharias Low.

Chong placed second (1:03.18) and Low got the bronze in 1:05:47.

Aaliyah Ricci Mataragnon also finished third in the female 14-15 youth category (38:41.74) won by Australian Abby Ouwendyk (36:55.23).

Malaysia’s Mayumi Shinozuka got the silver in 38:34.29.

The Philippine Sports Commission funded the trip with the endorsement of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines headed by Philippine Olympic Committee chair Tom Carrasco. CFC