Ironman 70.3 Davao unwraps; Belonquil tops IronKids

MANILA, Philippines — Mauricio Mendez hopes to buck the pressure while Radka Kahlefeldt brims with utmost confidence in her return stint at one of her favorite race venues as they go for repeat in the Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao today (Sunday) at the Azuela Cove in Davao.

“Of course, I think you always feel the pressure. But I just don’t think about it, just thinking about being at the moment and see what I can give,” said Mendez, who gave his all in the closing run stage to emerge the first-ever champion of the 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K run event in Davao last year.

But while the Mexican star said he’s ready to go for another crown, he believes the rest of the compact field are also coming into the event in top form, including the one he edged last year, Aussie Tim Reed, along with Tim Van Berkel, David Mainwaring, Matt Lewis, Craig Alexander and Fraser Walsh, also of Australia, Anthony Coster of France, Bahrain’s Eric Watson and Markus Rolli of Germany.

“But as long as you enjoy, as long as you put your passion in there, I think it’s going to be a great race,” added Mendez, 23, who also vowed to improve his 3:50:32 clocking in the punishing 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K run race.

Meanwhile, Earol Belonguil and Marielle Estreba put up strong finishing kicks to turn back their respective rivals in the premier division of IronKids at Azuela Cove yesterday.

Belonguil timed 15:29 over the 400m run and 3k run event, nipping teammate Justine Hermosa and James Borja for the 13-14 crown.

“My training paid off,” said Belonguil, a 13-year-old student at Cebu Normal University, whose strength is actually in the bike stage of the junior version of triathlon, which he ruled in Davao last year.

But with organizers reducing it to a swim-run race to draw more participants, Belonguil had to rally to emerge on top on a 5:37 (swim)-9:23 (run) effort.

Borja took charge in the swim leg in 5:28 but struggled in the run (9:46), ending up third in 15:44 behind Hermosa’s 15:30 (5:45-9:15).