IRONMAN 70.3: Race of will, hope

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu, Philippines — Out to emulate the strength and resilience mustered by the province following the destructive super typhoon “Odette” months ago, thousands of iron-willed athletes from all over the world vie in a race of will and hope here at the Mactan Newtown for the dreaded but prestigious Megaworld IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines presented by AIA Vitality.

Firing off at 6:20 a.m., over 2,000 triathletes test their mettle in the endurance race starring the majestic 8.9-km Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) as the country’s longest bridge towering over the Mactan channel with the scenic Cebu beach horizon as background.

CCLEX, a state-of-the-art passage connecting Metro Cebu and the Mactan island through Cordova, will house the highlight 90-km, three-loop bike race on top of the 1.9-km swim and 21-km run starting from the Mactan Newtown beach.

Fresh from a conquest of the full IRONMAN race in Subic five months ago, Czech Petr Lukosz wears the biggest target on his back in Asia’s largest 70.3 race so far this year with 12 titles at stake in different age-group brackets.

Formidable counterparts from the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, China, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines stand in the way as triathlon marks its return to a sport hotbed in Cebu.

Cebu last hosted the swim-bike-run event in 2019 before the pandemic halted the sporting world for two years and the super typhoon “Odette” ravaged the province late in 2021.

Now, the IRONMAN is back as well as Cebu in a joint search for the strongest and toughest iron men and women fit to reign in the province that has been a rock of strength and heart against all adversities.

“It’s great to be back in Cebu. This is a rebuilding year coming on the heels of a massive typhoon so big thanks to the province of Cebu and all the cities and municipalities who have come together to help us make this race very special,” said organizer Sunrise Events, Inc. founder Fred Uytengsu, also an “Ironman” himself.

Managing director for IRONMAN Asia Jeff Edwards echoed the same sentiment, lauding Cebu’s warm welcome and offering the race to the Cebuanos that have shown tremendous spirit coming off a tragedy.

“It’s just remarkable to return here now and to see this great energy and spirit from all of the amazing people here. Cebu is world-renowned. Cebu is known as one of the most spirited and supporting communities in all the world of IRONMAN,” he beamed.

Meanwhile, Olongapo Junior Trackers’ Darrel Johnson Bada and Adrian Ungos reigned supreme in the centerpiece 13-14 age-group division of the IRONKIDS yesterday.

Bada ruled the boys’ division with a time of 33 minutes and 22 seconds while Ungos (38:23.0) dominated the girls’ category of the IRONMAN juniors event that has 400-m swim, 12-km bike and 3-km run course.

Other winners were Christy Ann Perez and Peter del Rosario in 11-12 (age group), Lauren Lee Tan and Joshua Marquez in 9-10 as well as Mitch Salva and Cael Avanzado in 6-8 categories of the event also backed by the City of Lapu-Lapu, CCLEX, Municipality of Cordova and the City of Cebu.

Meanwhile, GO4LESS (23:08) won the relay for the 11-14 group while Coco Running Tri Team (15:00) ruled the 6-10 division in the sideshow of IRONMAN also supported by Active, Breitling 1884, Gatorade, Hoka and ROKA, Athletic Brewing Co., Hyperice, Santini, Wahoo, Fulgaz, Lalamove, Alaska, Lightwater, Prudential Guarantee, RLC Residences, Regent, Rudy Project, Sante and Teresa Marble Corp. and media partners Cignal, The Philippine Star and Sportograf.com.