Back-to-back for Tara Borlain

By: James Nicole Franz R. Savellon, John Carlo Villaruel August 06,2016 - 10:28 PM

Tara Borlain celebrates as she nears the finish line at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City. (CDNPHOTO/LITO M. TECSON)

Tara Borlain celebrates as she nears the finish line at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City. (CDNPHOTO/LITO M. TECSON)

The Borlain sisters finished 1-2 in the Alaska IronKids yesterday morning at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

The younger Tara Borlain once again emerged on top in the Girls 13–14 years old division after clocking 46 minutes and 30.2 seconds while her older sister, Samantha, finished second with a time of 46:57. Cebuano Karen Andrea Manayon (47:14) placed third.

It was a back-to-back feat for the 13-year-old Tara from the La Salle Santiago Zobel School in Muntinlupa City as she also ruled the same category in the IronKids in Subic last June.

Despite their one-two finish in this race and in most of the races they compete in, the siblings, who are also taekwondo jins, denied that there is some sibling rivalry brewing between them.

“It (the win) feels good, especially since I got to finish it with my sister. That’s the best part,” Tara said.

The 14-year-old Samantha said they actually enjoy competing side by side because it helps them get better.

“When we are competing in the same race, we push each other to be the best [that] we can be,” Samantha said. “I feel the bond when we’re together. I really enjoy racing against her because it [doesn’t feel like] a race. It’s like sister bonding.”

Their father, Ringo, said he also doesn’t think there is some rivalry between the two because the main reason he got them into this sport is just to have fun.
“It’s just fun competition. I don’t really expect anything. We just want to engage in an outdoor activity,” said Ringo.
Persistence pays off
Meanwhile, Laguna’s Juan Francisco “Wacky” Baniqued was the best finisher in the 13–14 Boys division.

Baniqued clocked 44 minutes and 48.3 seconds to secure his first victory in the category and third overall in the Alaska IronKids event.

He won the 11-12 title last year and the 6-8 crown in the 2012 edition.

Baniqued said he used as motivation his past races in Cebu that didn’t quite go well.

“My first two races in Cebu were bad. In my first race, I placed seventh or eighth and the second didn’t push through because of bad weather. I really cried when that happened,” he said, referring to the 2013 edition of the IronKids that had to be cancelled because of the weather.

Baniqued, who is now on his fifth year competing here in Cebu, said he will to return for his final year in 2017.

“For now, I’ll focus first with the Batang Pinoy,” Baniqued said.

Baniqued crossed the finish line 53 seconds ahead of Mandaluyong City’s Joe Bernard Sarmiento, who wound up at second place with a time of 45:42. Jose Manuel Arao (45:49) placed third.

Hyonde Keum and Cebuana Catherine Angelie Yu topped the Boys and Girls’ 11–12 class, respectively, while Cebuano Matthew Justine Hermosa and Kira Ellis bagged the boys and girls 9-10 crowns. Ahmad Ali Alonto and Ruby Brooks reigned in the Boys and Girls 6–8 category./USJ-R Intern Dafne Wenceslao

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TAGS: Alaska Ironkids, Cebu, ironkids, Mactan

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