ERIKA Burgos is gearing up for another shot at Olympic distance glory, headlining a stellar lineup determined to challenge her pursuit of consecutive victories in the 5150 Bohol event on July 14 at the Bellevue Resort on Panglao Island.
Burgos, who outperformed Leyann Ramo to secure the overall championship last year, is fully prepared to defend her title in the 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike and 10 km run event, sponsored by Sun Life.
Despite her confidence, Burgos is aware of the formidable competition she faces from top athletes like Katrina Salazar, Kriska Sto. Domingo, Sittie Dimaporo, Ana Isabel Locsin, and Dezz Mae Gapuza, among others.
The race has attracted a diverse group of international participants, including 10 from South Korea, eight from the US, and six from Great Britain. Athletes from Australia, Switzerland, Germany, France, Greece, India, Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, and Taiwan have also registered.
In addition to the overall championship, titles will be contested across various age categories: 15-to-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64 and 65-69. The event, organized by the IRONMAN Group, also features relay races and the Sunrise Sprint (S2), a short-distance event comprising a 750-meter swim, 20 km bike ride, and 5 km run.
