Youngsters are all agog with excitement as they gear up for the RLC Residences Ironkids firing off Saturday in Mactan, Cebu. –HANDOUT PHOT
The future of Philippine triathlon takes center stage on Saturday as more than 600 young athletes open the Ironman 70.3 Lapu-Lapu weekend with the RLC Residences Ironkids at Beachfront, Dusit Thani Mactan in Cebu.
The field–more than double last year’s aquathlon turnout–features competitors aged 6 to 15 in swim-run and run-only events. Races are split into age groups: 6-8, 9-10, 11-12, and 13-15. Relay divisions are also held for the 6-10 and 11-15 brackets.
READ: Eleora Avanzado, Euan Ramos lead Ironkids Subic winners
Run-only races cover 1 kilometer for the younger division and 2 kilometers for the older. Aquathlon distances range from a 100-meter swim and 1-kilometer run for the youngest participants to a 250-meter swim and 2-kilometer run for the oldest.
Youngsters all agog with excitement as they gear up for the RLC Residences Ironkids firing off Saturday in Mactan, Cebu. –HANDOUT PHOTO
The surge in participation follows steady growth in the Ironkids program this year, with over 200 competitors in Palawan and 350 in Subic Bay before arriving in Lapu-Lapu. Organizers say the event is designed to encourage youth participation in sports and to promote an active lifestyle in the host city.
READ: Go, Cabiguen seize Ironkids spotlight
Princess Galura, president of Sunrise Events, Inc., says the Ironkids has been part of Cebu’s sports scene for more than a decade, serving as an entry point for many into triathlon.
“This event has introduced many kids to multisport, and some of them have gone on to race in the adult divisions,” Galura says.
The Ironkids race serves as the traditional curtain-raiser for the Ironman 70.3 weekend, which features professional triathletes, seasoned age-groupers, and elite locals in Sunday’s main race.
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