Youthful Huelgas races to top in Subic triathlon meet

Youth prevailed over experience as 19-year-old Nikko Huelgas topped the 1st Leg of the SPEEDO National Age Group Triathlon Series 2010 in an out-and-back race course at the Dungaree Beach, Subic Bay Freeport. Huelgas faced 39-year-old Canadian expat and old tormentor David Verlee anew but this time, he made sure he had enough strength left to unleash a big wind-up for the victory.

The La Salle student covered the 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run distance in two hours, 14 minutes and two seconds, beating Verlee (2:14:23) by just 21 seconds. Making the triumph sweeter was the fact that it was Huelgas’ first time to race at the Olympic distance even as he avenged his defeat to Verlee in the Anvaya Cove Invitational Triathlon last November. “I knew he (Verlee) will be the favorite in this race and I just really want to give my best and make this race close," said Huelgas, also proving he deserved his spot in the Triathlon Association of the Philippines’ national developmental pool. “My tactic was to try to move up in the swim (phase) because I know he (Verlee) is strong in the bike (stage). I struggled in the run (part) but luckily, he seemed to have tired out and I outsprinted him in the last 500m of the race," added Huelgas, who also won the gold medal in the 19-year-old class. The Subic-based Veelee blamed his loss on exhaustion from all his efforts in the bike leg. “It was windy today and because I was using disk wheel, I need to put more effort in the bike which proved costly because I cramped out in the run leg. But I’m satisfied with my performance," said Veelee, who still topped the 40-to-44 age class. National duathlete Augusto Benedicto recorded the third-fastest time at 2:14:36, laced with the event’s best bike split at 1:05:43. He went on to top the 25-to-29 age group. Abad rules female race Mirasol Abad, another member of the national duathlon team, submitted the fastest time in the female division (2:40:37). She also claimed first place in the 25-to-29 age class. Joining Abad in the female elite’s medal podium were Raenna Crandourne (3:54:52) and Rosalina Joson (3:19:06), who also took top honors in the 30-to-34 and 40-and-over age class, respectively. Other winners in the men’s side were Emmanuel Alberto Rodil (2:28:54) in the 20-to-24; Timothy Joseph Isla (2:35:36) in the 30-34; Abe Tayag (2:22:48) in the 35-39; and Anthony Welsh (2:31:06) in the 45-49. - GMANews.TV