Moira Erediano ends Alaska IronKids stint with five titles; Hermosa wins first top spot finish

Teammates Moira Frances Erediano (right) and Matthew Justine Hermosa (left) of the Talisay Luigi Triathlon Group-Go For Gold (TLTG-GFG)  take the first spots in the Alaska IronKids Cebu 2019 in the girls and boys categories respectively. CDND PHOTO / Gerard Francisco

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines—Moira Frances Erediano of the Talisay Luigi Triathlon Group-Go For Gold (TLTG-GFG) successfully ended her Alaska IronKids stint with five titles on her belt after she dominated the 13-14 Girls of the Alaska IronKids Cebu held Saturday, August 10, 2019 at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa.

Erediano of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) overcame a slow swim start to rule the 13-14 Girls for the third time with a time of 39 minutes and 22.01 seconds (39:22.01).

“I feel so happy right now nga akong last IronKids kay na first jud ko, na-champion jud ko,” said Erediano.

(I feel so happy right now that I finished first in my last IronKids. I really became a champion.)

Erediano’s teammate, Matthew Justine Hermosa, took the 13-14 Boys title after clocking 35:08.33.

“I am so happy,” gushed a grinning Hermosa, who clinched the 13-14 Boys title for the first time.

This is, Hermosa’s third title in the event since he started joining the race in 2015.

Hermosa is a cousin of triathlon Southeast Asian Games representative Andrew Kim Remolino, who is also a member of TLTG-GFG.

Both were not first out of the water but they made up for lost time and climbed to first place in the bike section. Both then defended the top spot until they crossed the finish line, leaving their opponents far behind.

TLTG-GFG had a 1-2 finish in both the 13-14 Girls and Boys with Earol Belonguil and Jeanna Mariel Cañete finishing second in their respective divisions.

Belonguil clocked 35:43.04 while Cañete had a time of 40:38.71.

Another TLTG-GFG member who dominated his category was Van Wincy Pagnanawon who took the title in the 9-10 Boys who crossed the finish line with a time of 25:49.97

Three other members of TLTG-GFG also made it to the podium. Christy Ann Perez placed second in the 9-10 Girls despite suffering fever just a week ago. She clocked 30:30.50.

Perez’s teammate, Rhexiel Belonguil, trailed her in third place with her time of 30:42.86.

Raio Habana, for his part, crossed the finish line with a time of 20:34.65, good enough for third place in the Boys 6-8.

TLTG-GFG relay teams also shutout their opponents in the Mixed Team 11-14 after finishing first, second and third. / celr