Triathlon seeks inclusion of more Asiad bets

By: 14 years ago

MANILA, Philippines–TRIATHLON IS hoping to send four more athletes to the Asian Games in Guang-zhou.

With only Asiad veteran Lea Langit making it to the initial list of RP athletes to the November Games, the Triathlon Association of the Philippines is recommending the inclusion of the returning Neil Catiil and three other hopefuls.

Trap president Tom Carrasco said that Catiil, who resigned from the national team last March to join the international squad Team TBB, has requested to be reinstated to the Asiad contingent.

The 24-year-old Catiil, runner-up in the Asian Duathlon and fourth in the Singapore Triathlon last year, placed eighth in the recent Cam Sur Iron Man 70.3.

Also hoping to make it to the RP squad are 26-year-old Monica Torres who placed fourth in the Cam Sur Iron Man 70.3, 17-year-old Nico Welgas, and 23-year-old Bryan Borling.

But the three will have to finish in the top 10 among Asians in the Sept. 19
Illan Lake Chinese Taipei Triathlon.

“If they don’t make the standard there, we won’t recommend them anymore,” said Carrasco.

The country’s racers placed 14th in the men’s division and 11th in the women’s bracket in the 2006 Doha Asiad.

Arland Macasieb clocked 2:05:37.61 against the gold medal time of 1:50.53.14 of Kazakhstan’s Dmitry Gaag. Langit finished in 2:14:46.69, 15 minutes slower than China’s Wang Hongni who bagged the gold.