HARI si Fernando Jose Casares sa sprint elite men at si Raven Faith Alcoseba ang reyna sa sprint elite women sa kumaripas na National Duathlon Championships 2022 ng Triathlon Association of the Philippines Linggo sa New Clark City sa Capas, Tarlac.

Dinomina ni Casares, ang reigning Southeast Asia Games men’s triathlon champion, ang aksiyon sa 5-kilometer run, 20km bike at 2.5K run race upang talunin si John Leerams Chicano, ang 2019 SEA Games triathlon gold medalist, sa isang high-speed finish.

“I tried to break away, but the other guys are strong, too. I somehow opened a gap in the second run and kept that gap so I won,” bulalas ni Casares matapos tumawid ng meta sa tiyempongng 58 minuto at tatlong segundo.

Si Chicano ang sumunod makalipas ang anim na segundo para sa silver medal at si Maynard Pecson ang pumangatlo sa 58:13 sa karera na nagsilbing pre-qualifier ng TRAP para sa 32nd Southeast Asian Games 2023 sa Cambodia sa Mayo.

Swak sa Top 5 finish sina Andrew Kim Remolino na mabagal ng 26 na segundo sa oras ni Casares, at Raymund Torio na 28 saglit sa men’s winner sa kaganapang suportado ng Philippine Sports Commission.

Pumoste naman si Alcoseba sa women’s sprint ng 1:06:32 upang talunin si Louisa Middleditch ng Singapore (1:07:10) para sa gintong medalya.

“It was tough. I tried to break away in the run, but they stayed with me until I found an opening in the transition from the bike,” sey ni Alcoseba.

Si Merry Joy Trupa ang pumangatlo (1:08:50), pumang-apat si Erika Nicole Burgos (1:09:03) at pumanlima si Karen Manayon (1:09:25) sa national duathlonfest kung saan 103 koponan ang lumahok, kabilang ang mga dayuhan mula sa Australia, Brazil, France, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa at United States.

Hindi lumahok si three-time SEA Games triathlon women’s champion Marion Kim Mangrobang, na gold winner din sa women’s duathlon sa 2022 Vietnam SEAG nitong Mayo.

“In Cambodia (SEA Games), all events are sprints that’s why our elite athletes focused on the sprint distance,” esplika ni TRAP president Tomas Carrasco Jr. “Out of the seven events, we’ll be aiming for at least four (gold medals).”

Nanalo naman si Matthew Justine Hermosa sa junior elite men at nakuha ni Jena Valdez ang junior elite women title.

Wagi rin rin sina Darell Johnson Bada (men 13-15 super sprint), Wella Mae Coronado (women 13-15 super sprint), Joseff Miguel Quirino (men 16-19 sprint) at Jouvane Samilin (women 16-19 sprint). (Lito Oredo)