Foreigners flex might in Puerto Princesa

Bastien Poupelain: Men’s champ. —Contributed Photo

PUERTO PRINCESA—Foreigners dominated the Ironman 70.3 here on Sunday, with a Frenchman and a Pole coming out victorious in humid and ultrademanding conditions before an appreciative crowd that lined up the finish.

Bastien Poupelain broke away in the 90-kilometer bike leg of the event and went on to clock 4:24:19 counting his times in the 1.9-km swim and 21-km run, beating Japan’s Hidekazu Takahashi, who checked in more than two minutes later. The seasoned Petr Lukosz of Czech Republic was third in 4:34:45.

The Philippines’ JS Teves missed the podium by less than two minutes, checking in behind Lukosz in 4:36:44. But for being the top Filipino in his division, Teves went home with P50,000, the same prize won by Mary Pauline Fornea, who was the top home bet in the women’s side won by Agnieszka Najnigier-Pierzynowska.

Najnigier-Pierzynowska rallied in the run to claim victory over Great Britain’s Emma Rickard in 5:33:32.

The Pole negotiated the final stage in 1:52:13 to win by more than seven minutes over the Brit, who held the lead after the swim and bike legs. Rickard went on to clock 5:40:49, Hong Kong’s Nicole Chau rounding out the podium in 05:46:43.

Fornea clocked 5:49:19 with her time broken down in 39:35 for the swim, 2:54:03 for the bike and 2:09:16 in the run.