REMOLINO (RIGHT) (CDN FILE)
TALISAY City’s Andrew Kim Remolino may have missed a podium finish, but the 16-year-old found consolation in being the fastest Filipino finisher in the grueling 2016 Hatsukaichi Asian Triathlon Cup in Hiroshima, Japan yesterday.
In just his first international triathlon race since a shift from swimming, the talented junior triathlete clocked one hour, four minutes and 24 seconds good for 21st overall.
Another Filipino triathlete, Julius Constantino trailed Remolino in 22nd spot with a clocking of 1:04.29.
Hong Kong’s James Tan topped the race in 57:55 followed by Hong Kong’s Michael Lam (58:01) and Yu Shing Him (58:03).
Remolino competed in the junior elite category which has a 750-meter swim, 20K bike and 5K run course.
“I am very happy with his performance but we need to improve his skills furthermore when he comes back here in Cebu,” said his father Roland Remolino who is also the head coach of Talisay City Swimming Team. “He’s going to have a hard training,” the elder Remolino added.
Remolino banked on his swimming skills as he finished it in 10:09. He finished the bike portion in 33:02 and the run part in 18:38 minutes.
Another Cebuano who joined the race yesterday was Justin Chiongbian who settled in 30th place clocking 1:06.41 behind another Filipino Brent Valelo (1:06.15). Chiongbian’s younger brother Fredric Yuan Chiongbian failed to finish the race.
Meanwhile, Edward Macalalad placed ninth in the men’s under 23 division clocking 2:07.17 while Maria Claire Adorna settled in sixth place in the women’s under-23 with a time of 2:28.08.
Remolino and all the Filipino finishers of the race are members of the Philippine national developmental team. Remolino, who finished sixth in the 2016 Subic Bay ASTC Triathlon Asian Cup in Subic Freeport Zone, made it to the country’s developmental team after dominating the men’s elite division of the NAGT second leg held in Danao City last month.