MANILA, July 23 — Filipino Nikko Bryan Huelgas bested his Southeast Asian rivals in the 2017 ASTC Triathlon Asian Championships held at the Jakabaring Sports City in Palembang, Indonesia on Saturday.
Huelgas, the defending SEA Games champion, clocked 2 hours and 50 seconds to finish 13th among 35 entries in the men’s elite division.
Compatriots John Chicano was 18th (2:04:08) while Mark Hosana was 22nd (2:07:48).
Indonesian Jauhari Johan finished 20th (2:05:35) followed by Singaporean Zhi Zhong Zacharias Low (2:06:28). Malaysia’s Rikigoro Shinozuka was 23rd (2:07:48) and Adrian Yu Yong Yeo was 25th (2:10:06).
Six Japanese athletes were in the Top 10 led by gold winner Jumpei Furuya (1:54:22), silver medalist Makoto Odakura (1:54:48) and bronze winner Shiruba Taniguchi (1:54:56).
Jordan’s Lawrence Fanous was seventh (1:57:27) followed by Hong Kong’s Hui Wai Wong (1:58:29), Chinese Taipei’s Tuan Chun Chang (1:59:50) and China’s Chen Liu (1:59:50).
In the women’s elite division, Kim Kilgroe finished ninth among 15 entries. She clocked 2:19:18, which was better than Malaysia’s Irene See Win, who was 11th (2:22:06) and Chen Yin Yang, who was 13th (2:32:43); and Singapore’s Jeremia Christy Suriadi, who was 14th (2:37:40).
Japan’s Yuko Takahashi bagged the gold medal in 2:06:31 while her compatriots Aoi Kuramoto (2:07:21) won the silver and Sena Takahasi (2:07:50) settled for the bronze.
Reigning SEA Games titlist Claire Adorna and silver medalist Kim Mangrobang did not join the tournament.
Adorna is still recuperating from a bicycle accident during her training in Thailand last week, while Mangrobang is currently training and competing in Europe. (Jean T. Malanum/PNA)
