Javier, Bitbit rule Laguna duathlon event

Two national athletes ruled the men’s and women’s elite divisions of the opening leg of the Columbia Trailmasters Duathlon series in contrasting fashion inside the sprawling Nuvali estate in Sta. Rosa, Laguna over the weekend. But while RP cyclist Marites Bitbit was the runaway women’s champion, Robeno Javier stole the spotlight after pulling off an upset over the highly-favored Ryan Mendoza. Javier surged past the 2007 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist in the last 200 meters in clinching the men’s crown of this inaugural event . Javier, who placed sixth in the Asian Cup held in Nongkhai , Thailand last March, topped the 40-kilometer run-bike-run contest in a time of one hour, 46 minutes and 14 seconds over the fading Mendoza, who came in five seconds later, to pocket the top prize of P10,000 and P10,000 in gift certificates. “Ryan started to slow down in the last 200, so I took advantage of it," said the 24-year-old Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan native of his victory over the fancied Mendoza. Mendoza reasoned out the lack of training for his downfall. “I lacked competitive training due to my commitment in the military," said the 31-year-old Airman Second Class, who settled for the runner-up purse of P8,000 plus P5,000 in gift certificates while Roldan Antonio (1:48.21) took third, worth P6,000 plus P3,000 in GCs. The biggest casualty in the men’s elite contest was August Benedicto, who broke loose with Javier and Mendoza from the main pack in the first 5-km. run but took a wrong turn when he fell slightly behind the two pacesetters. “Robeno and Ryan were able to surge in front and I didn’t see them go uphill, while I went downhill," said the Asian Cup bronze medalist, who lost 10 minutes in trying to get back on course and eventually wound up in seventh place. In contrast, the 31-year-old Bitbit had a trouble-free race, crossing the finish line in front of Nuvali’s Solenad commercial complex all alone in 2:00.26 to mark her successful return to duathlon competition after a four-year layoff. Mirasol Abad (2:11.51) placed second , good for P8,000 plus P5,000 in GCs, while Bing Alto (2:15.06) settled for third and got P6,000 and P3,000 in GCs in the duathlon that drew a huge cast of close to 600 entries. - RCJ, GMANews.TV