DAPITAN CITY. – Nicole Andaya and Matthew Hermosa delivered commanding performances to claim the overall championship in their respective divisions in the 5150 Dapitan Triathlon in Zamboanga del Norte on Sunday.
Andaya, representing the Usuals team, clocked 22:42 in the swim leg, maintained her lead with a 1:16:38 bike time, and capped it off with a 54:03 run to finish the 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, and 10 km run in 2:36:00.
She finished more than three minutes ahead of Joanne Cruz from Tri SND Barracuda, who finished second at 2:39:59, while Lourdes Ramos secured third in 2:40:05.
Competing in only her second 5150 event, Andaya was thrilled with the unexpected improvement after placing third in last year’s 5150 Bohol.
“There are so many strong athletes, but this is a huge improvement from where I was last year,” said Andaya. “It’s more than just about me — this victory is for my teammates.”
Hermosa, competing in his 5150 debut, displayed championship form throughout the race.
The Go for Gold mainstay surged ahead in the swim with a time of 17:56 and held on in the bike and run, clocking 1:00:21 and 37:16, respectively, for a total time of 1:56:56.
