SEAG silver winner makes triathlon comeback

FORMER NATIONAL team standout Sandra Araullo-Gonzales marks her comeback stint in the 1st Triking Long Distance Triathlon tomorrow at the Matabungkay Beach Resort and Hotel in Lian, Batangas.

Nonoy Jopson, the champion in the 70.3 Philippine Half Ironman, and Neil Catiil lead the veterans in the men’s side of the grueling 2K swim-60K bike-15K run race.

Araullo-Gonzales, a former Southeast Asian Games silver medalist, relinquished her title as the country’s top female triathlete two years ago to give way to younger national hopefuls.

The inaugural race, longer than the Olympic distance of 1.5K swim-40K bike-10K run, will also feature a state-of-the-art timing chip.

“Participants can expect faster and accurate time results which seem to be implausible because of the distance of the race,” said Raul Cuevas, CEO of organizer Bike King and director of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines.

The MYLAPS Cycle ProChip System, a technology brought in from Australia, is used in international sporting events such as the Tour de France, UCI BMX and Olympics Road Cycling, according to Cuevas.

Age groups, relay competitions and an open race are the other categories in the event expected to draw 200 participants.

The race kicks off with a three-loop swim leg at the Sea Breeze Resort, according to Matabungkay resort general manager Rico Violeta and marketing manager Joie Oliveros.

The two-loop bike stage crosses the National Hi-way heading to Calatagan, before the turnaround point from Liam to the Altura Junction. The foot race includes a dirt road near the sugarcane and rice fields of Matabungkay.