CLARK, Pampanga – Australia-based Dutch Thomas Bruins bucked an early slip and delivered as promised, winning the Classic event of the 2017 Powerman Philippines Asian Championships presented by Summit Natural Drinking Water here yesterday.
Bruins, 27, dropped his rehydration bottle after hitting a speed bump in the first run to bike transition but went on to top the 10km run-60km bike-10 km run event in two hours, 57 minutes and 28 seconds.
“But luckily, I was okay,” added Bruins, who finished second to Gael Le Bellec of France here last year. He also placed 15th in the recent Powerman World Championship in Switzerland.
Aussie Matt Smith came in second in 3:07:46 while Emmanuel Commendador emerged the best Filipino finisher at third with a 3:09:20 clocking.
John Leerams Chicano, who pocketed a silver medal in the recent Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Raymund Torio ended up fourth and fifth in 3:10:46 and 3:13:27, respectively.
Japanese Aira Sawada turned in a 1:35:19 clocking to capture the women’s crown in the event organized by P & F International Events Group. Filipina Bid Ferreira finished second in the 5km run-30km bike-5km run in 2:10:19.
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Commendador, 28, said his strong finish this year more than made up for his failure to finish the race the last time out.
“I passed out in the final run last year because I was ill-prepared. I made sure a trained well on this one,” said Commendador from Bohol, who hopes to make the national team in duathlon when the country hosts the SEA Games in 2019.
In the short elite section, 23-year-old Jarwyn Banatao of Standard Insurance beat Malaysian Jason Loh to capture the crown in 1:24:01. Loh timed 1:25:56.
Cipriane John Topia checked in third in 1:27:04.
SEAG gold medal winner Nikko Huelgas, competing here to sharpen his biking skill, survived the challenge and finished the race.
