Japanese rule Asian triathlon races in Subic

RON SATO and Yuka Sato won with ease to again bring the titles back to Japan in the 29th NTT Asian Triathlon Confederation Subic Bay International Triathlon at Subic Bay Freeport Zone Sunday.

Ren Sato, Asia’s No. 3 and world No. 56, clocked one hour, 43 minutes and 11 seconds to rule the men’s division, while Yuka Sato, 15th in the Rio 2016 Olympics and ranked No. 10 in Asia and No. 90 in the world, topped the women’s race in 1:58:49.

If the Satos underscored their lofty reputations, so did the other favorites failed to live up to expectations in the 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run race organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee.

Ryoya Tamazaki, ranked 14th in Asia and 201th in the world, made it a 1-2 Japanese finish in the men’s elite men race by checking in 26 seconds after Sato for his first podium finish in 13 starts.

Another 11 seconds behind at 1:43:48 was Australia’s Oscar Dart. In the women;s side of the race sanctioned by the World Triathlon and Asian Triathlon Confederation, Hong Kong’s Yan Yin Hilda Choi grabbed silver in 2:00:37 and Slovakia’s Margarita Bicanova settled for bronze in 2:01:02.

Rounding out the men’s top 10 were Hongkong’s Tsz To Wong (1:44:00), Japan’s Genta Uchida (1:44:16), Hongkong’s Jason Tai Long Ng (1:44:33), Japan’s Makoto Odakura JPN (1:44:56) Kanta Ando (1:45:21) and Koki Yamamoto (1:45:46) and Hongkong’s James Tan (1:45:52)

Completing the top 10 finishers in the women’s race were Japan’s Yoshiko Eda (2:02:35), Hongkong’s Charlotte Hall (2:02:47), Chinese Taipei’s Chiachia Chang (2:03:03) and Chi Wen Chang (2:03:35), Japan’s Kotomi Anzai (2:04:21) and Hongkong’s Cade Wright (2:05:12).

The Philippines’ John Chicano (1:51:02) placed 22nd and Andrew Remolino (1:52:11) in the men’s race, while Raven Alcoseba was

13th in the women’s contest.