Asian Orthopedics athletes shine in 1st leg of Cebu Duathlon 2024

CEBU, Philippines — The spirited multi-sport athletes of Asian Orthopedics bannered by Franklin Yee performed remarkably well in the highly successful first leg of Cebu Duathlon 2024 presented by TNR Events and Production over the weekend at SM Seaside City.

Yee, a member of the University of San Carlos (USC) track and field team under the guidance of coach Arvin Loberanis, submitted the fastest time of one hour, 55 minutes, and 50 seconds to emerge as overall champion in the elite category of the grueling race consisting of 10km run, 40km bike, and 5km run.

John Patrick Ciron placed second in 1:56:32, while Raymund Torio came out third in two hours and 10 seconds. Jarwyn Banatao (2:00:56), Cipriane John Topia (2:01:59) occupied the fourth and fifth spots while another Asian Orthopedics mainstay, Jonathan Pagaura, wound up sixth a time of 2:06:57 in his first race coming off a longsome pause.

“Franklin Yee is our elite athlete. We supported him, from conditioning to sports nutrition and injury prevention, because we want him to achieve his best potential,” said Dr. Pierre Mella, who forms the core of Asian Orthopedics triathlon/multi-sport team together with Dr. Reneil Jay Peña and well known businessman-sportsman Afshin Ghassemi.

The seemingly inseparable trio also flexed their athletic muscles in the challenging but very exciting two-in-one battle , with Ghassemi, an accomplished triathlete, enjoying the best finish among them at 12th overall in a strong field of 60 entries under the elite division.

Ghassemi, the president of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Alumni Association and at the same time chairman of the school’s alumni basketball association, clocked in 2:37:39, just 17 seconds ahead of Mella who landed at a decent 14th place.

Peña, however, didn’t finish due to a bike mechanical problem.

In the men’s 40-44 division featuring a shorter distance of 5km run-20km bike-3k run, AO’s Clement Po claimed the first runner-up honors in 1:12:33.

Zechary Talisaysay ended up 24th in the men’s 16-24 age group in 1:20:10, while their other teammates in Jay Cantuja and Adrian Plania also had a grand time after breezing through a rousing debut in the racing scene.

“We’re here to promote health and wellness through movement and sports. It improves mental health since endorphins will give happy hormones,” said Mella. “Hopefully, we will be able to organize a sporting event to benefit patients and athletes who don’t have money in the future.” — (FREEMAN)