Torio, Trupa Grab Top Overall Honors, Clark Duathlon Classic attracts over 500 Duathletes
By Pedro Lazo
March 21, 2023
CLARK FREEPORT – Over 500 duathletes and multi-sport enthusiasts attended the 2023 Clark Duathlon Classic in the beautiful resort of Fontana Leisure Parks, here in Clark Freeport Pampanga.
The event, which is the second leg of GoClark Sports’ Duathlon Race Points Series, featured athletes competing for various age group categories. The event included a standard distance category for intermediate and veteran duathletes, as well as a sprint distance category for beginners of the sport.
In the standard distance category of 10km-run- 40km bike- 5km run, Raymund Torio and Merry Joy Trupa reigned supreme by grabbing the top overall honors for the male and female categories respectively. Torio finished with a time of 2:06:45, outdueling his Go for Gold teammate John Patrick Cipriano by a mere 13 seconds. Maynard Pecson rounded out the podium placings by taking 3rd with a time of 2:14:05.
Trupa used her women’s best run splits of 42:23 (10k) and 25:40 (5k) to win in 2:25:13 to win handily with a margin of 4 minutes and 57 seconds over Raven Joy Valdez, out of Pangasinan. 2000 Sydney Olympian Jenny Guerrero surprised herself with a third overall finish and also topping the 30-39 age category.
Other winners in the men’s standard distance age categories: Yoejan Prudente (18-24), Justin Lu (25-29), James Villanueva (30-34), Raymund Gerard (35-39), Michael Raymond Amistoso (40-44), Steve Pontejos (45-49), Florito Roque Jr. (50-54), John Villanueva (55-59) and Doddie Diño (60+).
Winners in the women’s standard distance age categories are: Nicole Andaya (18-29), Jenny Guerrero (30-39), and Patricia Anne Castillo (40-49).
In the sprint distance category 5km run- 20km bike-2.5k run, Jena Valdez finished first in the Jr. Elite Female group with a time of 1:17:45. For the Jr. Elite Male group, Juan Miguel Tayag took the top spot with a time of 1:10:49.
The event featured notable athletes who shared their experiences and insights with the participants.
Kapampangan celebrity athlete Ion Perez shared his experience and emphasized the importance of a positive mindset and determination in achieving personal goals. “Medyu masakit ya itang mamulayi ka, kaybat na ning bike, pero tiluy kemu hanga mayari (It was a painful run leg after finishing the bike course, but I endured until I finished)”.
Dick Caspe Guzman, a 70-year-old participant from Meycauayan, Bulacan, proved that age is just a number when it comes to staying fit and active. Guzman’s positive mindset and dedication to exercise have helped him maintain his fitness despite his age. He also encouraged fellow senior citizens to keep on exercising and practicing their game.
Christine Padilla, a 29-year-old athlete from Manila, expressed her appreciation for the organizer’s meticulous planning in designing a scenic route nestled amidst the lush greenery of trees and nature during her recent participation in her second Go-Clark Duathlon.
“I love the landscapes, the trees, and everything,” she said. “When it’s GoClark as the organizer, I know I look forward to being in the Clark trees. It’s really nice,” Padilla said.
Full results for the 2023 Clark Duathlon Classic organized by GoClark Sports and Events can be found at https://goclark.ph/clark-duathlon-classic/cdc-results/
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