Philippines lady triathletes show up SEAG rivals

PALEMBANG  — Kim Mangrobang stuck with the big guns for as long as she could and flashed home at seventh place in a strong showing in women’s triathlon in the 18th Asian Games at the Jakabaring Sport City yesterday.

Filipino-American Kim Kilgroe churned out a decent performance in her first Asiad as the Filipina tandem both finished in the Top 10, way ahead of the other Southeast Asian entries in the event that drew 22 participants.

Even amidst a high South Sumatra morning temperature, the field fought it out in a fast race, and the Filipinas held their own through the bike stage.

Mangrobang, the SEAG silver medal winner in 2015 then gold medalist in 2017, emerged fifth from the water in the Jakabaring Park and rode with the pack in the bike stage before fading away in her weak event – running.

She clocked 2:05:20, five minutes and 51 seconds behind Yuko Takahashi who won the gold on a good tactical run with Japanese teammate Yuka Sato.

“I’m happy with the result of the race,” said Mangrobang, well satisfied with her improvement from her ninth place finish in the 2014 Incheon Games where she submitted a clocking of 2:13:18.

Phl coach Ani De Leon Brown said Mangrobang could have even finished in the Top Five if she was able to stay with the pack.

Takahashi broke free from the group in the run stage and pulled away as teammate Sato slowed down the pace of the chase group, including Mangrobang.

Kilgroe, a strong rider, was running second overall through the 40km bike race.

But she also proved to be weak in running, negotiating the 10km run in 43:46 as against Mangrobang’s 42:04.

The East Asians dominated the 10km run with the gold medalist doing it in 39:01, silver medalist Zhong Mengyin of China in 30:04 and bronze medalist Hoi Long in 38:13.

Kilgroe negotiated the whole event at 2:06:57, 14 minutes ahead of the next best Southeast Asian bet in Irene See Win Chong of Malaysia.

Mangrobang refused to blame the sweltering and humid weather, which reached a high of 30-degree Celsius, for her performance, although she bared that it was only in the low-20s in Rio Maior, Portugal, where she has been training last week before coming over here.

“Medyo mainit pero manageable naman po,” she said.

Two-time SEAG men’s champ Nikko Huelgas and John Chicano take their turn to compete in the men’s event today starting at 7:30 p.m. over the same course.