MANAYON’S MISSION

Cebuana junior triathlete eyes new swim mark in Batang Pinoy Visayas Games in Dumaguete

MANAYON. | CDN FILE

KAREN Andrea Manayon, one of Cebu’s top junior triathletes, is hoping to reset her Milo Little Olympics record in the 400-meter freestyle when she competes in the upcoming Batang Pinoy Visayas Games of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in Dumaguete City from November 10 to 16.

The 15-year-old Talisay City native will represent Cebu province in the meet for athletes 15 years old and below. She recently placed seventh in the Hong Kong Life ASTC Sprint Triathlon Asian Cup’s female youth division and dominated the 14-16 years old division of the Ormoc Triathlon last month.

“My target for Batang Pinoy is to break my Milo Little Olympics record in the 400-meter freestyle which is five minutes and 21 seconds and of course to qualify for the national finals next year,” said the Talisay City Science High School grade nine student.

Manayon is a member of the 170-member Cebu province delegation to the Visayas Games. She is currently a member of the Philippine national triathlon team and one of the top junior triathletes of Cebu-based Rider Omega Pro Triathlon Team.

Manayon will compete in the 200m butterfly, 100m butterfly, 800m freestyle, 400m freestyle and 200m Individual Medley (IM) along with 11 other Cebu province swimmers who are mostly from Talisay City.

In the national finals, she will also vie in triathlon which is one of nine sports not calendared in the Visayas Games along with cycling, gymnastics, judo, rugby, football, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.

The Nov. 10-16 meet is the first regional meet that the PSC is organizing.

Manayon is seeing action in her third Batang Pinoy National Finals where she won the triathlon gold medal last year in Tagum City, Davao Oriental.