Pagaura, former golf ace Piccio vying in 5150 Dapitan

ing a successful staging of its initial foray in hosting the 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run race in Zamboanga del Norte.

Mayor Seth “Bullet” Jalosjos and the entire Dapitan City community vowed to provide the leading triathletes and rising stars of the ever-growing trisport a racing experience like no other with an eye on hosting the Ironman 70.3 in the future.

Joining Pagaura are David Gordon,

Alfred Sajulga, John Paul Paluca, Jeremy Pepito, Alex Limbo and Eric Gallardo, along with 20-24 campaigners RJ Vince Cabahug, Nikko Baguisa, Jacob Taylor, Jed Mission and Jesus Castillo II and 30-34 entries Banjo Norte, Rey Gomez, Nikko Ramirez and Erwin de Guzman.

Mia Piccio, a former Southeast Asian Games golf team gold medalist, and show business personality Bubbles Paraiso are also in the fray in the women’s side that also drew Angela Gatuslao, Valerie Marcos, Anne Relova, Arianne Durana, Pearl de la Cruz, Kristine Macalisang and Luigine Tan. The registry books showed 334 entries have so far confirmed their participation in the event to be held for the first time in Dapitan City where national hero Dr. Jose Rizal was exiled—with the roster expected to double with still three full weeks left before the blue-ribbon event is fired off.

THE Lionesses move into their first World Cup championship game. AP

Balajadia stars in ROTC arnis

NATHANIEL BALAJADIA bagged the men’s non-traditional single weapon to lead the winners in arnis in the Air Force section of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Games Visayas Leg on Thursday at SM Iloilo in Iloilo City.

Representing West Visayas State University-Main, the 20-year-old Balajadia beat Lenar John Avance and Renato Aguado Jr. for the gold medal, underscoring he’s one of the country’s best in the indigenous sport which he dominated twice in the Palarong Pambansa.

M arcel John Judicpa ruled the Army bracket and RJ Mahinay topped the Navy division also of arnis’s men’s non-traditional single weapon.

J udicpa defeated Capiz State University’s John Mike Frial and Cebu Technological University’s Meg Ryan Gutierrez.

Roperly Mae Bangero, Jazzel Joan Agacia and Kyla Omega de la Torre ruled the women’s contest in the Air Force, Army and Navy brackets, respectively.

In boxing, Daniel Panes, Christian Moses and Alfred Deslate ruled the Army division. Moses clobbered Kent Eugene Adrias via technical knockout and Deslate beat Edramel Mangubat, 4-1.

Asian Games champion, and Brown, women’s 400 meters hurdles gold medalist in Bangkok, arrived in Budapest Wednesday.

We’re just figuring it out how to get healthy and push the pace in practice, changing my race plan as well,” said Cray, whose target is to run 48.70 seconds in the 400m hirdles to make it to Paris.

There’s enough time to adjust and hope to break my national record and qualify for the Olympics—these are the ultimate goals,” said Cray, whose joined by wife and coach Samantha in Budapest.

Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Terry Capistrano and secretary general Eduard Kho are in Budapest to also attended the World Athletics Congress.

Spicing up the 5150 Dapitan, also held to promote local tourism, is the Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint, featuring a 750-meter open water swim, 20-km bike ride and a 5-km run.

The- Noli Run, a 3-km fun run, will usher in the main event on September 9.

O verall winners in the men’s and women’s 5150 will pocket P175,000 each while those who will top the Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint will get P75,000 each, according to the organizing The Ironman Group.

For details and registration, log on to www.ironman.com/5150-dapitanphilippines-register.