Burgos eyes Philippine Islands Series’ double at 5150 Bohol

MANILA, Philippines — Erika Burgos returns to familiar and winning ground on Sunday, aiming to make history as the first two-leg champion of the inaugural 5150 Triathlon Islands of the Philippines Series while leading a star-studded international field in the Sun Life 5150 Bohol.

The national triathlete and Southeast Asian Games gold medalist heads back to the beachfront of The Bellevue Resort in Panglao, Bohol where she has enjoyed multiple victories, drawing confidence from past success as she prepares for another demanding test over the Olympic-distance course featuring a 1.5-km swim, 40-km bike ride and 10-km run. With Bohol’s rolling terrain, tropical heat and deep field of competitors, the race is expected to demand equal measures of endurance, speed and tactical execution.

More than another championship opportunity in the Elite Category, Burgos is chasing a milestone in the landmark 10th staging of the event. After dominating the inaugural Guimaras leg last March, she now seeks to become the first athlete to capture two victories in this year’s island-hopping series, which was created not only to showcase world-class Olympic-distance racing but also to highlight the Philippines’ premier island destinations as global sports tourism hubs.

Burgos, who won this event back-to-back from 2023, shared top honors with Joshua Ramos of Baguio City in Guimaras before skipping the Camiguin stop, where fellow multi-titled triathlete Bea Quiambao ruled the women’s race and Kenneth Bonda emerged victorious in the men’s division.