Andrew Kim Remolino emerges from the water during the swim portion of the National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) Cebu Leg in this March 2017 photo. | CDN file
Though he has some really big shoes to fill, Cebuano teenager Andrew Kim Remolino is taking on the challenge in men’s triathlon of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
The task for the 19-year-old from Talisay City, Cebu would be to keep the gold medal in Philippine backyard after Nikko Huelgas won it twice in a row in the 2015 and 2017 editions of the 11-nation Games.
“I know there is mounting pressure for us to retain the gold medal, so I will show up with my best condition during race time,” said Remolino, who was named Young Hero for triathlon during the recent Siklab Youth Sports Awards at the Market!Market! Activity Center in BGC.
Remolino took over the spot of Huelgas in the men’s race after becoming the first Filipino elite to cross the finish line in the 2019 Gyeongju ASTC Asian Triathlon Championships in Korea two months ago.
“Ever since I started racing, my dream is to represent our country in the SEA Games. This is what I trained for all those years,” said Remolino.
A member of the Talisay Luigi Triathlon Group-Go For Gold, Remolino initially got the top ranking among local triathletes after topping the Subic Bay International Triathlon in April, the first qualifier for the SEAG.
“There were qualifying events and we chose the best two performers in those qualifiers to do the men’s individual race in the SEA Games,” said Triathlon Association of the Philippines president Tom Carrasco.
Joining Remolino in their target for another 1-2 finish in the Nov. 30-Dec. 11 Games is John Chicano, the reigning SEAG silver medalist.
Huelgas, who fell into a series of lackluster performances beginning with his 16th place finish in the Asian Games last year in Indonesia, will be part of the mixed team relay with Chicano and Fer Casares.
Reigning SEAG women’s champion Kim Mangrobang made it into the women’s individual team along with Kim Kilgroe.