Tag: Talisay City

Talisay City’s Hermosa: I didn’t expect to win gold.

Talisay City’s Hermosa: I didn’t expect to win gold.

carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers and sports fans! The 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia are officially over and the Philippines won more gold medals compared to the previous SEA Games and Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino hailed the Filipino athletes for a job well done.

Speaking of gold medals, the Philippines finished in 1st place in Men’s Individual Triathlon (Fer Casares), Women’s Individual Duathlon (Kim Mangrobang) and the Mixed Aquathlon 4X Team Relay. One of the members of the gold-medalist aquathlon team – Matthew Justine Hermosa of Talisay City, Cebu province – was recently featured in the Cebu Daily News (CDN) in a post-SEA Games article. What he shared in the article should interest you all.

Cebu’s Matthew Justine Hermosa (leftmost) holding the Philippine flag with teammates Iñaki Lorbes, Kira Ellis and Erika Burgos after their gold medal victory in the 32nd SEA Games aquathlon team relay event. (note: photo sourced from Triathlon Association of the Philippines Facebook page).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Cebu Daily News article. Some parts in boldface…

Cebuano triathlete Matthew Justine Hermosa said he did not expect to win a gold medal in his first stint in the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) after he and three other Filipino triathletes topped the mixed relay of the aquathlon event last May 6, 2023, at Kep Beach in Cambodia.

The 18-year-old Talisay City native ruled the mixed relay of the aquathlon event at one hour nine minutes and 56 seconds. Joining him was Kira Ellis, Erika Burgos and Iñaki Lorbes in winning the gold medal.

For Hermosa, it was a fun and challenging experience for him.

“For me, I didn’t expect to win gold, I expected a podium finish like maybe bronze or silver. It was a great bonus to receive and take home the gold medal and adding it to the tally,” said Hermosa.

“It was fun and at the same time it was quite challenging. The pressure from it is very different from our local races. Everyone’s eyes are on you and the expectations are so high. It was indescribable and mixed emotions to have won the gold medal but thankfully we did,” he said.

From left to right: Fer Casares, Kim Mangrobang, Iñaki Lorbes, Erika Burgos, Andrew Kim Remolino and Matthew Justine Hermosa showing their 32nd SEA Games medals upon arrival at the airport. (photo credit: Manila Bulletin)

Hermosa is one of the three Cebuano triathletes who campaigned for the Philippines in the 32nd SEA Games.

The other two were Andrew Kim Remolino who secured a silver medal in the men’s aquathlon and a bronze medal in the men’s triathlon event. Also, 2022 SEA Games bronze medalist Raven Faith Alcoseba competed along with them.

“It was a very challenging race because for aquathlon you have to do a swim of 500 m and after that you have to do a sprint run of 2.5 km. On the swim it was a very big challenge because the waves were so big, the water was so dark and the current was so strong that it would push you back to the shore,” Hermosa recalled.

“But I was fortunate enough to come out of the swim 3rd behind Vietnam and Indonesia, and on the run I was able to catch up with the two and I was able to finish 1st and giving a few seconds gap to my fellow teammates.”

To see the rest of CDN’s article, click https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/504045/hermosa-cebu-triathlete-on-winning-seag-gold-it-was-fun-challenging-experience

With regards to post-SEA Games events, the Philippines will be sending triathletes to the Asian Games which will happen in China this September-October.

Watch out for more Philippine multisport updates right here!

+++++

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. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. 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/.

SEA Games medalists Casares and Alcoseba dominate National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) series opener at Subic Bay

SEA Games medalists Casares and Alcoseba dominate National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) series opener at Subic Bay

carlocarrasco

Filipino-Spanish Fernando Jose Casares displayed his awesome form to claim victory in the sprint men’s elite category of the National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) Series at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority on Sunday.

Casares, born in Madrid to a Spanish father and a Filipino mother, clocked 57 minutes and 16 seconds to prevail over Cebu City’s Matthew Justine Hermosa (57:34) and Andrew Kim Remolino (59:12) in the swim (750m)-bike (20km)-run (5km) event.

“The competition was tough. My rivals are strong. But I am determined to win,” said the 26-year-old Casares, who also ruled the same category at the National Duathlon Championships at the New Clark City Sports Complex in Capas, Tarlac last December.

Casares earned the standard distance swim (1.5km)-bike (40km)-run(10km) gold medal at the 2022 Vietnam SEA Games. He pocketed the mixed relay gold medal with Chicano, Kim Mangrobang and Claire Adorna at the 2019 Manila SEA Games.

Cebu City’s Raven Faith Alcoseba topped the women’s category in 1:04:36, beating Erika Nicole Burgos (1:08:03) and Karen Manayon (1:08:25).

Alcoseba, who hails from Talisay City, also won the sprint gold medal the duathlon competition in New Clark City last year.

Meanwhile, Dayshaun Ramos and Kira Ellis were crowned champions in the junior elite division of the tournament organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) headed by Tom Carrasco Jr.

Ramos won the men’s category in 1:01.56 while Akio Habana (1:03:43) and Aidanreed Mercado (1:03:51) finished second and third, respectively.

In the women’s category, Ellis posted 1:05:51 to grab the gold medal. Gene Heart Quiambao (1:06:15) took the silver medal and Lady Samantha Jhunace Corpuz (1:07:18) settled for the bronze medal.

“This tournament is part of our national athletes’ preparation for the Cambodia SEA Games in May,” Carrasco said after the awarding ceremony.

Other tune-up events lined up for the team are the National Aquathlon Championships at Vermosa (Cavite) in March and the Subic Bay International Triathlon in April.

+++++

Note: The above press release and details were sourced from the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP). Some parts were edited for this website.

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. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. 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/.

PHOTO RELEASE: 2019 NTT ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) Asian Cup (May 1, 2019)

PHOTO RELEASE: 2019 NTT ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) Asian Cup (May 1, 2019)

carlocarrasco

For your reference regarding the 2019 NTT ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) Asian Cup that was held this past weekend (April 27 and 28) at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, here are the post-race photo releases that got published in the Manila Times, Malaya Business Insight and People’s Journal.

SCN_0039SCN_0040SCN_0041

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: All Hong Kong Show in Subic Sprint Triathlon Event

PRESS RELEASE: All Hong Kong Show in Subic Sprint Triathlon Event

carlocarrasco

Subic Bay, Philippines – April 27, 2019 – It was a complete domination by the mighty Hong Kong team in the sprint events on the first day of the two-day 2019 NTT ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) Asian Cup as HK triathletes placed 8 entries in the top ten of the  men’s  sprint distance featuring 16 to 19 year olds while 7 female entries placed in the top ten, including a sweep of the top three places in both division.

In the super sprint distance though, the Philippines managed to share the glory with a second place finish in the boys’ side  and a third place achievement in the distaff side to share in the day’s glory.

The duo of Jason Hardcastle and Nicholas Tsang Cheung Singh set the tone from the start of the swim leg in the sprint race that  started  at the ACEA Beach Resort & Hotel as they left  the other participants literally in their wake and were never pressured en route to an easy 1 – 2 finish with Hardcastle retaining the title he won last year, clocking 56 minutes and 46 seconds for the 750m. swim-20K bike-5K run while Sing , who was left behind in the final run lap, finished in 57.11. Philip Chenaux-Repond completed the 1-2-3 finish by HK in 58.34.

” I was focused  on a podium finish, I knew I was in good form and I was not really pressured, the weather  though was very hot, ” said Hardcastle  after the race sanctioned by the International Triathlon Union ( ITU ) and the Asian Triathlon Confederation ( ASTC ) and backed by SBMA and its Tourism Department, the Philippine Olympic Committee ( POC ) Philippine Sports Commission ( PSC ), Pocari Sweat, Standard Insurance, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines (ACIP), NTT, and the ACEA Beach Resort & Hotel.

Best placed local bet was Christian Legacy Academy student Joshua Ramos, 17, who sneaked in at 8th overall with a time of 1:00.57 while the other Filipino  triathlete in the top ten was Juan Baniqued in 10th place, finishing in 1:01.35.

” Sa swim pa lang ang layo na gad nung dalawa, but  in my case, I was not even expecting  this because I knew  how strong the field was this year,I really should work more on my swim in the future, ” said Ramos

The distaff side saw a start to finish victory by HK ‘s Bailee Brown who negotiated the distance in 1:04.03 despite the hot weather that bothered her, ” it was a tough race anyway you look at it but I was confident of winning, my strategy was just to be ahead at all time. I am  certainly happy with the win  and my swimming  showed a big improvement, ” said the pretty 19-year-old student from HK University who also competes regularly in the standard distance and even qualified in the last Asian Games’ triathlon event.

Twin sisters Cade and Tulullah Wright, also from Hong Kong, grabbed the next two slots, finishing in 1:04.45 and 1:05.06 respectively to complete the sweep for HK in the junior female elite division of the race .

National triathlete Karen Manayon managed  to squeeze herself in the top ten  , finishing in 10th place with  a time of 1:11.29, The Talisay, Cebu native admitted she  was surprised and happy  about her performance but not  with her time , ” medyo mabigat katawan ko  pag gising  kanina but  no excuse, sobra talaga lakas  ng mga taga Hong Kong. “

Nick Yip Tak long and Jan Yip sandwiched local bet Matthew Hermosa in the top 3  of the super sprint distance race as Long took first place in 33.51 i while Yip clocked 35.54 with Hermosa matching up well with a runner-up finish in 35.24.

” Malakas yung champion sa swim, nakalayo  agad siya at di ko na nakita pero masaya  na ako  sa finish ko, ” said the 13 year old Hermosa from Talisay, Cebu and mentored by Andoy Remolino.

HK’s Pauline Courret and Roxanne Wright, younger of the Wright twins, took first and second places, clocking 36.49 and 37.04 respectively while La Union native Lady Samantah Corpuz sprang a surprise with a third place finish in 37.42 also in the super sprint distance race.

” Kulang sa training dahil galing ako sa  sa sakit, two weeks  ako  hindi naka train, ” said  Corpuz, a National Age Group Triathlon champion in Subic earlier this year.

” No excuses, the Hong Kong team  was just  too strong  , they have a very good program and has been producing junior champions, in fact  in the region, HK  is the only one that can compete  against Japan. What we need to do is  adopt  the same approach  of Hong Kong in strengthening our junior triathletes especially in the swim leg, ” said Tom Carrasco Jr, president of the organizing Triathlon Association of the Philippines ( TRAP ).

Tomorrow morning (Sunday), focus will be on the men’s and women’s elite races which will also serve as a qualifying event for local triathletes for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).

+++++++++++++++++

Written by Lito Cinco