TUAN CHAU, Vietnam – Sasalang na sina Andrew Kim Remolino at women’s defending champion Kim Mangrobang sa triathlon race ng 31st Vietnam Southeast Asian Games ngayonh Sabado sa Sunset Bay dito.
Determinado si Remolino, 22, ang top triathlete ng Cebu, na mahigitan ang kanyang silver medal finish sa Philippine SEA Games, tatlong taon na ang nakalilipas, sa Subic Bay Freeport, kung saan naghari ang kababayang si John Leerams ‘Rambo’ Chicano.
Makakasama niya sa men’s 1.5K swim, 40K bike, at 10K run event si Fil-Spanish Fernando Tan Caseres, 26.
“Our goal is to help each other and the priority is to retain the gold and silver medal. It doesn’t matter if I settle for silver again as long as the Philippines keeps the gold,” wika ng six-year national team mainstay, na naorasan ng 1:55:03 laban sa 1:53:26 ni Chicano sa huling biennial meet.
“There are a lot of newcomers here, so hopefully we can still make it. But we’ll do our best, of course,” dagdag pa niya.
Sasamahan naman si Mangrobang, nagwagi sa huling edisyon sa oras na two hours at two minutes, ni Raven Faith Alcoseba sa women’s race.
Kumpiyansa si triathlon coach George Vilog sa kampanya ng kanyang mga alaga.
“It’s going to be the same finish – 1 and 2 or gold and silver. Our triathletes and duathletes are in good condition so I believe we can still retain the title,” ani Vilog.
Sa pagkakataong ito, si Chicano ay kakarera sa duathlon event sa Linggo kasama si Raymund Torio sa men’s category habang si Mangrobang ay magkakaroon ng double duty para sa bansa, sa pagsabak sa women’s class kasama si Alex Ganzon.
Tiwala rin si Triathlon Association of the Philippines President Tom Carrasco na kayang magwagi ng kanyang tropa ng 2 hanggang gold medals.
