(Asian Games) World-class field sinks PH triathlon athletes
GUANGZHOU—The two Filipino bets failed to crash the top 10 in the men’s triathlon of the Asian Games won by Japanese Yuichi Hosada at the University Town Main Stadium in Huang Pu district here Sunday.
Hosoda took the gold with a time of 1 hour 52 minutes and 15 seconds after a poor start in the swim leg, beating compatriot Ryosuke Yamamoto by a shade over 25 seconds.
Nineteen-year-old former aquathlete Nikko Huelgas placed 11th and veteran Neil Catiil was 14th as they joined the growing list of Filipino “tourists” in the Games.
Huelgas clocked 2:01:53.01, nine minutes and 37 seconds behind the gold medalist in his first Asiad stint. Catiil timed 2:05:28.
Huelgas, a marketing management student at La Salle, was 15th after the swim leg and 15th in the bike leg before rallying in the run leg to climb four places in the final standings.
Catiil, 24, also needed a strong run to climb two spots in the final ranking. He started out 16th after the swim and bike legs.Francis T.J. Ochoa