Burgos, Reig pull out victories on a gloomy day in Bohol

Erika Burgos repeated and Irienold Reig Jr. won a second 5150 title in two years after the duo dominated the women’s and men’s divisions of the Bohol edition Sunday on Panglao Island in Bohol, which was overshadowed by the death of a participant.

Coming out of the water first, Burgos clocked two hours and 20:26 for the Olympic style 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-km bike, and 10-km run race, with Katrina Salazar (2:27:21) salvaging second and Leyann Ramos, the second placer last year, checking in third in 2:27:56.

Swimming accident

Reig, the Subic champion two years ago, won in wire-to-wire style in 2:03:32, with Joshua Ramos placing in 2:09:06 and Paul Jumamil arriving third in 2:10:46.

A rising star from Quezon City, Reig was challenged under overcast skies, only to prevail using sheer grit after thwarting some of the event’s big names like Satar Salem.

Despite the memorable wins of Burgos and Reig, the day was a gloomy one for the sport after organizers confirmed the passing of the unnamed participant, although no other details were released.

“It is with great sadness that we confirm the death of a race participant,” the statement said. “The athlete required medical attention during the swim portion. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the athlete’s family and friends, whom we will continue to offer our support.”