Abahan aims for podium finish in HK
HONG KONG — Filipina Sandi Menchi Abahan targets a podium finish when she competes against some of the world-class trail runners in the 27k race of the 2016 Asian Skyrunning Championships Hong Kong edition scheduled today in Lantau.
Fresh from her win in last October’s Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon, Abahan, 26, expects tough competition and a challenging trail course but is ready for the challenge.
“Malalakas din mga makaka-laban ko dito,” said Abahan on the day before the completion. “Prepared naman din po ako lalo na sa course, ‘yung stamina, kasi taas-baba yung course.”
“Hopefully maganda maging performance, kung papalarin na maka-medal, sana makakuha. Kung ano po naging preparation ko, ‘yun ang gagawin ko, ibigay ko yung best ko,” added Abahan, the lone Philippine participant in the event made possible by MSIG Insurance (Hong Kong) Limited.
More than 80 runners have registered in the 27k trail run, including UK’s Zein Williams, winners of the 2016 HK50 Series and 2015 MSIG Lantau50 Series, 2016 Japan champion Takako Takamura and 2016 MSIG TAIWAN Action Asia 50 ruler Chen Hsiu Ching from Taiwan.
Other runners expected to give Abahan a tough time are Sandra Koblmüller from Austria who won Kitzbühel Etu Triathlon European Championships in 2014, and Korea’s Sooji Park, winner of the Mt. Gumsootrailrace 11km run National Extreme trail race 11km.
The 27k Skyrace will start at 7:30 a.m., after the 6:30 start of the 50k Ultra SkyMarathon. The 16k run will start at 7:45. Runners will have to deal an altitude of over 2,000m elevation gain that will start and ending at Tung Chung.
Other well-known trail runners seeing action in the event are France’s Caroline Chaverot, the reigning world Skyrunning champion and winner of the 2016 Ultra Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB), along with fellow countryman Ludovic Pommeret – 2016 UTMB men’s winner.