Boholanos root for Pagaura

In Ironman 5150 Panglao

BELLEVUE Panglao, July 13 (PIA)—Boholanos would be looking for their own Jonathan Pagaura, who placed 4th overall in the 2023 Sunlife Ironman, even as then champion of the 2023 Panglao event and ASEAN Games gold medallist John Leerams Rambo Chicano would still be the Boholano’s biggest obstacle.

Pagaura, a triathlete from Maribojoc has since been competing in Ironman franchised events, has attained the farthest feat that a Boholano professional triathlete has ever achieved in IM history here.

Last year, Pagaura finished the race in swim, bike, run event in 2:09:15, some 9 minutes and 10 seconds after Chicano who also dominated against his mortal Satar Salem of team Barracuda of Zamboanga, who crossed the finish line 4 minutes and 40 seconds after the ASEAN veteran gold medallist and 2017 team relay medallist.

Pagaura, who wore bib number 20 competed in the male 20-29 age category and clocked in 2 minutes and 15 seconds after third finisher over-all Joshua Alexander Ramos.

In his age category, Pagaura however is up against Salem, who topbills the Tri SND Barracuda and is hailed as a real threat in his age group.

The hurdle for Pagaura and the rest of the Filipino athletes however notched much higher with a Hollander Olympian Champion of the Subic 70.3 and Lapulapu.

Eric van Linden would be competing for his full introduction to the 5150 race here.

Ironman 5150 is a race of three disciplines, the athlete who excels in the three areas and who gets the shortest time to complete the 1.5 kilometers swim, 40 kilometer bike and 10 kilometer run, thus 51.50 kilometers, gets to be over-all champion R=Ironman and would also be the champion is his age and sex category.

This as Sunrise Events announced they have broken a record in most number of athletes registering for the races in Panglao, to set off July 14.

“We now have 806 registered participants, in our fourth Sunrise event and the 8th Ironman race since 2014,” said Princess Galaura, event manager, during a press conference at the Bellevue Hotel and Resort.

The race is also getting athletes from 19 different nations this year.

The biggest by far in Bohol since past the pandemic, this year topped the Ironman 5150 last year when about 600 athletes registered to race.

Of these, 184 are registered for the local Go for Gold Sprint event, which allowed home grown talents who may not have the funds to get to a formal Ironman, to get a feel of the races, followed on Jeremy Go of the Gold Sprint event.

Already in their third year, the Go for Gold Sprint, which joins the Ironman races has been added to find new talents in the regions.

“We found that there are young promising athletes who do not have the means to go to Manila or to Ironman races, the Sprint is for them,” Go explained.

The Go for Gold Sprint is half the distance of the Ironman: one loop of 750 meters swim, 20 kilometer bike and 5 kilometer run. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

BIGGEST RACE. With 800 registered participants, the IM 5150 in Panglao is also expected to generate revenues for Bohol with over 2000 guests joining their favoured competing athletes. (PIABohol)

SUNLIFE AMBASSADORS. Also joining the Ironman 5150 are Sunlife ambassadors Matteo Guidicelli and Piolo Pascual, who would be in the relay event. Other top athletes and personalities are also joining the events to take Panglao streets July 14. (PIABOhol)