‘Avengers’ assemble as PH gets 3-gold sweep in team events of SEA Games triathlon

RAYONG, Thailand – Triathlon is a sport the Philippines has traditionally dominated in the Southeast Asian Games. 

And this edition proved no exception as the best Filipino triathletes assembled like the Avengers and completed a three-gold sweep in the team events at the Laem Mae Phim Beach here on Wednesday, December 17.

The trio of Kira Ellis, Kim Mangrobang, and Raven Alcoseba opened the gold rush by winning the all women relay before Fernando Casares, Matthew Hermosa, and Inaki Lorbes followed suit by ruling the all men relay.

Ellis, Alcoseba, and Casares then won a second gold medal as they teamed up with Kim Remolino in topping the mixed team relay. 

“I love working with the team and when we were in the camp together, we all got close. We all kind of know each other and who can do what,” said Ellis, who has won four medals in this SEA Games after bagging a pair of aquathlon silvers in the all women and mixed team relays. 

“It was nice. It was like the Avengers coming together for the SEA Games.” 

Ellis came in as a last-minute replacement for Erika Burgos in the all women relay, a strategic move that led to a comfortable win as the squad finished the 300m-swim, 8km-bike, and 2km-run race in 1:40:40 — over 30 seconds ahead of Indonesia.

The all men relay crew also won convincingly as they beat Singapore by 10 seconds with a time of 1:04:05. 

It was in the mixed team relay where the Philippines faced serious danger after Casares, the team anchor, incurred a 10-second penalty during the bike portion.

But Casares lived up to his billing as the reigning individual SEA Games champion, leading the squad to a time of 1:30:31 for a four-second win over Indonesia. 

“My heart rate was up and down. We won gold in the end and I’m so proud of the team,” said Ellis.

The win in the all women relay allowed Mangrobang to add a seventh SEA Games gold to her collection, which includes five individual crowns: three in triathlon and two in duathlon. 

“I’m not used to relays because in past SEA Games, I competed in individual races and I trained alone. Here, you need to work with each other. Whatever they’re doing, I also need to do. It was a team effort,” said Mangrobang. 

More gold medals are expected in the sport as the Philippines also looks to dominate the men’s and women’s individual events on Friday, December 19. – Rappler.com