Cagayan de Oro’s Banjo Norte of Rider Omega Tri Team successfully defended his Asian Elite title via the 2018 Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships in Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
The two-peat Asian Elite champion crossed the finish line in four hours, 24 minutes and 34 seconds.
“This is really my dream to get the title again for this year’s Ironman,” the 24-year- old Norte said. “Hopefully in the next Ironman Philippines, I can make it to three-peat,” he added.
Norte relegated Raymund Torio, who finished the race with a time of 4:30.42, to second place and Leonard Rondina to third place after he crossed the finish line with a time of 4:31.04.
Norte shared that the weather really helped a lot in ensuring his victory. One of the obstacles that he had difficulty in was the bike course.
“I got a hard time in the bike ride because it has three loops,” he shared. “As time goes, more and more triathletes come in making it harder for me to overtake.” /Correspondent Ray Charlie Diaz