Triathlon, duathlon and aquathlon officially included in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia

As many millions of sports enthusiasts all over the Southeast Asian region are anticipating the start of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31st SEA Games, Hanoi 2021 and SEA Games 31) in Vietnam (for external references, click here, here and here), the wheels for the 2023 edition of the SEA Games (AKA 32nd SEA Games) in Cambodia are already moving forward and already close to forty events have been confirmed, according to a news release published through the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

And here are the most notable news for the people who love multisports – triathlon, duathlon and aquathlon are officially part of the 2023 SEA Games events! Very recently, a high-profile meeting about the next SEA Games was held in Cambodia.

The official logo of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games (also referred to as Cambodia 2023).

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

Cambodia will be putting on a showcase as a first-time host of the Southeast Asian Games in 2023 with 39 sports already on its competition program.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said Cambodia has shown its readiness to host next year’s Games during a SEA Games Federation meeting held over the weekend in Siem Reap, a resort town that’s the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Angkor Wat.

Cambodia is ready to host and they promised an excellent edition of the Games,” Tolentino said in a news release on Monday.

Tolentino was joined in the meeting by POC Deputy Secretary General Bones Floro, triathlon head Tom Carrasco, volleyball chief and POC broadcast committee chair Ramon “Tats” Suzara, soft tennis Capt. Bob Moran and bowling legend Bong Coo representing women’s sports.

Cambodia scheduled the 32nd edition of the SEA Games from May 5 to 16—a year after Vietnam hosted this year’s Games—with the capital Phnom Penh as the main hub.

Tolentino said centerpiece athletics and aquatics tops the sports program as Category I sports with the marathon for men and women starting and finishing at Angkor Wat as well as the road and mountain bike (MTB) cycling.

The other sports under Category II are badminton, basketball (5×5 and 3×3), boxing, billiards, cycling (road and MTB), canoeing, rowing, Ok Chaktrong, Asean and Xiangxi), dancesport, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics (aerobic and artistic), hockey (including indoor), judo, karate, muay, petanque, sailing, sepaktakraw (including chinlone), soft tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, traditional boat race, triathlon (including duathlon and aquathlon), volleyball, wrestling and weightlifting.

In relation to the above news release, triathlon, duathlon and aquathlon are also listed in a recent article on the official website of the 2023 SEA Games.

Take note that Cambodia will be hosting and organizing the SEA Games for the first time ever. The official website of the 32nd SEA Games is located at http://cambodia2023.com/ and their focus on preparing for the games is real. Check out the video below from the Cambodia 2023 YouTube channel.

For more about the Cambodia SEA Games on social media, visit their official Facebook page, their official Instagram account and follow them on Twitter.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are an enthusiast of triathlon, duathlon or aquathlon, what is your reaction towards their declared inclusion in the 2023 SEA Games? With regards to Cambodia’s first time hosting the SEA Games, are you excited to see the region’s biggest sports event to be held there?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Over 650 Philippine athletes counted so far for the 31st SEA Games

If you are rooting for the Philippines to become successful in the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (AKA 31st SEA Games, the Vietnam SEA Games or Hanoi 2021) in Vietnam this coming May, be aware that more than six hundred fifty national athletes have been listed to represent the country, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) article published recently. To make things clear, these athletes were collectively submitted by the varied national sports agencies (NSAs) to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). The current number of athletes is tentative at best as there are NSAs still finalizing their respective athletes for the SEA Games.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has so far summed 656 athletes who will do battle in the 31st Southeast Asian Games that are due in under two and a half months in Hanoi, Vietnam.

POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said majority of the 39 national sports associations which are fielding athletes to Vietnam have submitted tentative rosters for the May 12 to 25 Games.

The Philippines is competing in 39 of the 40 sports programmed by Vietnam for its only second hosting of the Games since 2003. In these 39 sports, the country is participating in 44 disciplines, according to Tolentino.

“Comparing the numbers when we hosted the Games in 2019, we’ll have a delegation that’s slashed almost in half from three years ago,” Tolentino said in a news release on Monday. “And a quick look at the numbers show we’ll be hard-pressed to repeat as overall champions.”

There were 1,115 Filipino athletes in 2019—an automatic privilege that host countries have—and they won 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals for a guaranteed overall title.

But we’ll have a fighting team in Vietnam, setting aside the difficulties of training and competing or training overseas because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Tolentino said.

Of the 44 disciplines, the POC has yet to receive a tentative list for athletics, men’s 3×3 and 5×5 basketball, weightlifting and jiujitsu.

The deadline for the submission of entries by names is on March 12 and Tolentino said the POC is hopeful to complete the list—including expected revisions from NSAs which already complied with the body’s February 24 internal deadline—by then.

Several NSAs were allowed to submit tentative lists because they’re still completing their final qualifications or trials,” he said.

The estimated size of the delegation is pegged at 874. Also on the tentative list are 177 team officials (coaches, team managers and/or NSA heads or representatives) and 20 members of the medical (doctors, nurses, and masseurs/therapists) and administrative staff.

Competition venues for Filipino athletes are spread out in four clusters although majority will be in the main hub of Hanoi, Tolentino said. The POC based the clusters on their proximity to Hanoi.

Filipino athletes will be competing in diving, swimming, finswimming, archery, athletics, badminton, 3×3 and 5×5 basketball, billiards and snooker, bodybuilding, bowling, boxing, canoe-kayak, chess, cycling, dancesports, esports, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics (artistic, aerobic and rhythmic), beach handball, judo, jiujitsu, karate, kickboxing, kurash, muaythai, pencak silat, rowing, sepak takraw, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon/duathlon, volleyball, beach volleyball, vovinam, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Considering the difficulty everyone had to endure with the COVID-19 pandemic, do you think that the current athletes the Philippines has right now are competitive enough to bring home SEA Games gold medals? Among the all of the above listed SEA Games sports the Philippines will compete in, what are the five sports that interest you the most right now?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

PRESS RELEASE: 2020 National Age Group Triathlon Season Kicks Off at Subic Bay on January 26

2020 National Age Group Triathlon Season Kicks Off at Subic Bay on January 26

After delivering the first two gold and silver medals of the recently concluded 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), triathlon opens a new decade in the country with the launch of the 2020 season of the National Age Group Triathlon series which will fire off with close to a thousand participants on January 26 in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

A joint project of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), the season opening race will have participants challenging themselves with the Standard Distance (1.5 Km swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run), Sprint Distance (750 M swim – 20 Km bike – 5 Km run) and Super Sprint Distance (500 M swim – 13 Km bike – 2.5 Km run) prepared for them with San Bernardino serving as the main venue for starting, transition and finishing.

At stake in the event supported by the SBMA, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Standard Insurance, FINIS and Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines (ACIP) are gift packs and winners’ medals for the Top 3 winners of each age-group category per distance as well as the Team Relay category.

Triathletes can still register online by visiting https://www.active.com/sbma-zambales/triathlon/races/national-age-group-triathlon-nagt-2020?int&fbclid=IwAR1xolMOL5zx7VTBk5SMRRWD-qO2MUcSHQhL8W9ohHhmnzx2AshJKb02vfA

Entry fees are set at P3,750 for Standard Distance, P3,000 for Sprint Distance, P2,500 for Super Sprint Distance and P7,500 for the Team Relay. Inclusive with the entry fees are the post-race meal, the finisher’s medal and race t-shirt. Registration will end on December 31 or when all slots have been filled up.

For more information, contact the TRAP at trapsecretariat@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE: 2nd MediCard Sprint Triathlon in Clark on November 10

2nd MediCard Sprint Triathlon in Clark on November 10

With a field of close to 300 participants listed, the stage is set for a beginner-friendly racing experience as the 2nd MediCard Sprint Tri fires off on November 10 inside the Fontana Leisure Park in Clark, Pampanga.

MFC

The race organized by Bike King features a course of 600-meter swim at the Olympic-size pool of the water park followed by a single loop 20-kilometer bike course around the Clark grounds and a single lap 5 kilometer run on the rolling paths of the resort. The finish line will be located along J.P. Rizal Avenue.

At stake in the event sponsored by MediCard Philippines, Standard Insurance, Klean Athlete Nutritional Supplements, Smart, official timing partner Garmin, hydration partners Pocari Sweat and Sip Purified Water, recovery partner Air Relax Massage Guns Philippines, hotels Fontana and Royce Hotel & Casino are specially designed trophies and gift items for the age-group winners, Team Competition, and relay category winners. The awarding ceremony is scheduled to take place at 10:30 AM.

“Wellness is more than being free from illness. It includes physical, mental and social well-being. This is the reason why MediCard promotes wellness through sports because aside from promoting physical health through physical activities, sports also improve social skills and gives positive mental health,” said MediCard President Dr. Nicky S. Montoya

The 2nd MediCard Sprint Tri is a joint project of Bike King and MediCard. The company is a leading health maintenance organization (HMO) dedicated to building a culture of health awareness and behavior. MediCard’s extensive connections with outpatient clinics, partners and affiliate doctors nationwide allow us to offer an array of total healthcare services to suit the needs of corporations, SMEs, individuals, and families. Visit http://www.medicardphils.com or call (02) 884-9999 for your healthcare needs.

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Press release issued on behalf of Bike King Philippines and MediCard Philippines.

 

 

 

Nikko Huelgas Tops TRI-Factor Standard Distance Triathlon In Indonesia!

Nikko Huelgas Tops TRI-Factor Standard Distance Triathlon In Indonesia!

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Nikko Huelgas of the Philippines as the Standard Distance (1.5 Km swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run) champion. (photo contributed by Huelgas)

Nikko Huelgas, the 2-time Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) gold medalist who resides in BF International, Las Piñas City, brought honor again to the Philippines by winning the championship in the Tri-Factor Indonesia Standard Distance triathlon event held this past Sunday (July 7) at the island of Belitung in Indonesia.

According to Huelgas, he completed the 1.5 Kilometer swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run event in an estimated time of 2 hours and 9 minutes. I state estimated because as of this writing, the complete and official results of the event have yet to be published.

For his victory, the BF International resident thanked his coaches and sponsors.

When I asked him through Viber about the experience of the race in Indonesia, Huelgas said that it was a relaxing one as it was held on the island (note: Belitung is located on the east coast of Sumatra) and he was mostly away from the competitors. This helped him lessen his social anxiety as well as the typical pre-race anxiety.

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Nikko Huelgas running during the race in Indonesia. (photo contributed by Huelgas)

“It was a hot day but staying on the beach front made it manageable and stress-free. No problems happened whatsoever and no diet adjustments. It was able to do a great race that I’ve been longing for the past months,” Huelgas wrote.

When it comes to the quality of the competitors, he described them as not as big as the Asian Championships of triathlon and he was not there to actually win.

“I was there to deliver the best possible performance I can give, as a way for my comeback (in) triathlon,” he added.

With this latest triathlon victory now etched in history, I asked Huelgas what does he plan to achieve for the next six months. He stated that he has a lot of plans up until the end of December and that “things are looking very great” in relation to his most recent performance. He will be joining a race in Cebu very soon.

More notably, Huelgas hopes that his victory last Sunday will help him inch closer to qualify for a slot in the Philippine Team that will compete in the triathlon event of this year’s Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games). The said triathlon event will be held at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone which itself is very established as the nation’s main destination for triathlon events.

For the newcomers reading this, Nikko Huelgas won for the nation the gold medals in the triathlon events of the SEA Games of 2015 and 2017. In September 2017, I was with him when he visited Las Piñas City Hall where he met Mayor Imelda “Mel” Aguilar, the Vice Mayor and members of the City Council. I witnessed first hand how proud the City Government officials and personnel were to meet him knowing the fact that a fellow Las Piñero like him won great honors for the country.

With regards to the BF Homes community, Huelgas’ name was heard some people I encountered around. A few people living in the Parañaque City part of BF Homes – or specifically Barangay BF Homes – even wished that Huelgas was part of their barangay and city.


Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

 

 

 

 

Vermosa Sports Hub Sprint Tri Images and Some Details (June 9, 2019)

Hi sports fans! The Vermosa Sports Hub Sprint Tri happened this morning at the very modern Vermosa Sports Hub located along Daang Hari in Imus City, Cavite.

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Organized by Bike King in cooperation with Vermosa Sports Hub with the support of sponsors Blackmores Philippines, Smart, hydration partners Pocari Sweat and Sip Purified Water, and official timer Garmin, the event was, as expected, successful. Participants and their respective family members or friends enjoyed the event and, as usual, the awarding ceremony was fun as before.

For you viewing pleasure, here are some action shots. Just click to ENLARGE.

Below are the other images…the awarding ceremony pics. Just click an image to ENLARGE.

The Vermosa Sports Hub Sprint Tri was the latest sports event to take place at the Vermosa Sports Hub which is the nation’s first one-stop training complex catering to athletes competing in international sporting events and serious sports enthusiasts.

The facility has a 50-meter swimming pool based on FINA (International Swimming Federation) standards and the country’s only International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF)-certified 400m track oval, a complete indoor training facility, and the 600-sq,m. Sante Fitness Lab, staffed by expert coaches, trainers, and visiting sports institutes.

Vermosa Sports Hub is an Ayala Land Development borne out of emerging trends: the rise in health consciousness and growing interest in multisport.

“People are spending more time and money to engage in physical activities, specifically sports,” says Ayala Land Vice President and Vermosa estate head Jay Teodoro. “We wanted to provide a venue for training for this market. Our bigger vision also is to provide a training venue for the next Philippine champion.”

The complete race results and lists of winners will be made available by Bike King here. Wait and it will come.

For other events of Bike King, visit http://www.bikekingphilippines.com

Clark Global City Duathlon 2019 in the Sports News (May 15, 2019)

Hi, sports fans! Those of you who are following the latest in Philippine multisports (triathlon, duathlon and aquathlon) are encouraged to check out the latest sports coverage of the successful Clark Global City Duathlon 2019 co-presented by Smart which was held this past Sunday at Clark Global City, Clark, Pampanga.

Below are the newspapers that published today the post-event news. Some of them with online versions that can be viewed. Just click.

Manila Bulletin

Manila Standard

People’s Tonight

Manila Times

Business Mirror

Malaya Business Insight

For pictures of the event, check out my previous post.

Race results? You can find them right here.

Also I encourage you to visit and follow Bike King on Facebook.

 

 

 

Clark Global City Duathlon 2019 Pics and Insight

As millions of people around the Philippines were focused on the 2019 National & Local Elections, the sprawling Clark Global City (CGC) in Clark, Pampanga was filled with excitement and fun yesterday morning with the successful Clark Global City Duathlon 2019 co-presented by Smart and organized by Bike King.

For the newcomers here, duathlon is a multi-sport activity composed of running and biking. The event in Clark yesterday had two distances: 6km run—60km bike—4km run and 3Km run-30Km bike-4Km run.

As with past multisport events organized by Bike King, the event handled efficiently, the field of participants was large (in the hundreds), the awarding ceremony was a nice attraction (with two emcees who are very talented) and the participants had fun.

What is also notable about Clark Global City is that it is located just a short drive away from the South Clark exit/entry of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx). If you came from Metro Manila via the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and arrive at South Clark exit, there is no way you can miss the CGC.

For your viewing enjoyment, posted below are random pictures I took from the event. Just click to enlarge.

I encourage you to visit and follow Bike King on Facebook.