Veteran August Benedicto, Leonard Rondina banner Filipino finishers in Ironman 70.3

August Benedicto. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

SUBIC, Zambales—Lost in the hoopla of a race that featured nearly 900 athletes were two Filipinos August Benedicto and Leonard Rondina, who bannered the country’s finishers in the 2019 Ironman 70.3 Subic on Sunday here.

Benedicto was the first of the Asian Elites, and sixth overall, to finish the race while Rondina came next and the two not only got shiny new medals they also qualified for the Ironman 70.3 Nice World Championship.

Both were men of few words and were more than thankful in representing the country and becoming champions in their own rights.

“For me of course I’m really happy because I was able to defend my title in the Asian Elites,” said Benedicto, who finished the course with a time of 4:44:04, in Filipino.

Benedicto replicated his success in the 2018 Full Ironman in Subic wherein he was the first Filipino finisher.

Rondina, who’s just in his second Ironman race, said he was proud of what he accomplished considering he’s just a newbie in the sport.

“I’m very happy because I was able to get the second place [among Asian Elites] and this is just my second time in the Ironman,” said Rondina, who clocked in at 4:50:46, in Filipino.

Rondina and Benedicto are just two of the several Filipino athletes that will compete in Nice in September.