August Benedicto spends more time with family as pandemic halts triathlon

FILE — Filipino triathlete August Benedicto. TRISTAN TAMAYO/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines—Top Filipino triathlete August Benedicto used to spend most of his time abroad for training and competition.

But since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, halting practically most if not all major sports in the world including triathlon, Benedicto has found more time with his wife Anna and their two children in Germany.

“This is a good chance for me to spend time with my kids because last year I was always traveling,” said Benedicto in Filipino in an online press conference Wednesday for the launch of Alaska IronKids Philippines Keep Fit at Home.

“I would train two to three months outside of Germany and when I’m here at home I’d still train three to five hours a day and they [the kids] won’t see me that often at the house,” said Benedicto. “But with the lockdown, I’ve been doing indoor training and the kids will see me and they’ll get inspired do what I do.”

Benedicto said that once he gets bored after his training, the first thing he’d do is play with his children and do some gardening at his backyard.

He’s even joined his local community in harvesting strawberries after manpower dropped due to the movement restrictions.

“There weren’t a lot of people who were going to pick the strawberries so I had to help out,” said Benedicto. “I also do a lot of house chores and it helps me keep a routine and that’s important for you because it’s also a bit of exercise.”

Benedicto added that seeing his children watch him train is not just inspiring for him but also for his kids since they see their father up close at work.

“I keep training so when everything’s back to normal and there are races once again I won’t lose strength,” said Benedicto. “The great thing about what I’m doing now is my children can watch me work and that gives me more time to spend with them.”