Cebuana swimmer Alcoseba to compete in Subic triathlon

Triathletes CJ Lipura (2nd from left), Raven Faith Alcoseba (center), and Kim Andrew Remolino (4th from left) will compete in the Subic International Triathlon this coming September. With them in photo are Mary Joana Remolino and Roland Remolino. | Glendale G. Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Vaunted Cebuana swimmmer Raven Faith Alcoseba will compete in the Subic International Triathlon (SUBIT) on September 19, 2021, in Subic Bay Freeport, Olongapo City, in Zambales province, with the hopes of qualifying in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, this year.

The 18-year-old bemedalled Cebuana swimmer of De La Salle University (DLSU) will be joined by her teammates in the Talisay Luigi Triathlon Group (TLTG) Go For Gold in Nicole Marie Del Rosario, Renz Wynn Corbin, CJ Lipura, and 2019 SEA Games triathlon silver medalist Andrew Kim Remolino. 

According to Alcoseba, the pride of Talisay City, south Cebu that she decided to try triathlon without plans of competing. She started riding a bike last year amid the pandemic together with the rest of the TLTG-Go For Gold team. 

However, her long-time trainer in swimming, Roland “Andoy” Remolino immediately noticed her great potential in triathlon. 

Remolino did not hesitate and told Alcoseba to train harder to develop her skills in the other two disciplines of triathlon, the bike and run. 

“I’ll try my best if I can perform well in triathlon since it’s going to be my first major race in September,” said Alcoseba in an interview with CDN Digital.

“Although I’m training for triathlon, I won’t leave swimming behind. I will still train and compete in swimming,” said the Cebuana swimmer.

Alcoseba has been here in Cebu for the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It paved her way to introduce herself to triathlon.

For Remolino, Alcoseba’s potential is something that shouldn’t be passed on considering she’s got what it takes to become a member of the Philippine team. 

Andrew Kim, Alcoseba, and Corbin will vie in the elite category of SUBIT which features an Olympic distance of 1.5-kilometer swim, 40k bike, and 10k run. 

Del Rosario and Lipura, meanwhile, will compete in the under-23 elite category.

Recently, Alcoseba and Remolino ruled the men and women’s 3k distance of the inaugural PJ Garcia Open Water Swimming Challenge in Pinamungajan town, southwest Cebu last June 5, 2021.

“She’s got a very big chance not because she’s very fast in swimming, but she also developed her skills in run and bike as well. If I’m to say, Raven (Alcoseba) has a huge chance of winning the race on September. All we need to do right now is to fully focus on her training,” said Remolino. 

The Cebuana swimmer pointed out that she would focus more on her run and bike skills to compete head to head with the other top female triathletes that would compete in SUBIC which serves as a SEA Games qualifiers. 

“I feel a bit of pressure on myself because I have not competed in triathlon, but with proper and continuous training, I think I can handle the competition,” said the incoming first year Civil Engineering student. 

Andrew Kim gave Alcoseba some tips. He said that consistent training would help her improve her skills. 

“Just be consistent and don’t worry too much if you’re training in multiple disciplines. You will eventually adjust to it and you will eventually find your strengths. That’s what I’ve experienced when I was a beginner in triathlon,” said Andrew Kim. 

Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas said that he would find a way to provide support for the TLTG-Go For Gold triathletes that would compete in SUBIT. 

He said that he would talk to Remolino to determine what support the team would need.

“That’s something I would want to talk to coach Andoy, then. maybe, I can talk to our businessmen here in the city to ask for support also,” said Gullas.

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