Australian Sam Betten crosses the finish line to retain his Pro title of the Regent 5150 Triathlon on Sunday. June Navarro/INQUIRER
SUBIC FREEPORT—Attacking the bike course like a man possessed under the blazing sun, Sam Betten looked behind him and saw no challenger in sight.
From that point on, it was just a matter of controlling the pace as the Australian from Brisbane retained the male Pro title of the Regent 5150 Triathlon Sunday at Remy Field here.
“Under these tough conditions, I think a win means something even more,” said the 6-foot-4 Betten, who completed the 1.5-kilometer swim, 40K bike and 10K run in two hours, six minutes and 55 seconds.
It was his fourth victory in the same distance this year in the Asia-Pacific circuit.
Amelia Watkinson of New Zealand placed second overall and easily ruled the women’s pro race.
Already the winner of the recent Pattaya Triathlon 2016, Watkinson also led wire-to-wire after pulling away in the bike leg. She timed 2:10.59.
“I think I do quite well in the heat,” said the 24-year-old Watkinson, an architecture student.
Bohol racer Paul Jumamil checked in third overall and topped the Filipino Elite class in 2:19:08, besting the favored Augusto Benedicto by just six seconds.
Banjo Norte wound up third among the Filipinos and fifth overall in 2:20:28 in the race organized by Sunrise Events, in partnership with Regent Foods.
Australian Mitch Robbins, Betten’s chief rival, suffered a flat tire twice and ended up sixth (2:21:27) overall and runner-up in the male Pro group.
“It was a disaster,” said Robbins, the 2013 champion here who will defend his 70.3 title in Nagoya, Japan next weekend.
Michelle Duffield crossed the line 11 minutes after Watkinson and finished second in the female Pro class and eighth overall, followed by fellow Australian Dimity-Lee Duke, last year’s runnerup, and Slovakian Michal Bucek, who both timed 2:24:38.
Event supporters: 2GO Express, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Subic International Hotel, Ford, Garmin, David’s Salon, TYR, Omega Pro, Miller Beer and the Lighthouse Marina Resort, among others.