WINNERS. Japan's Teppei Tokuyama (center) won the men's division of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games Asian Qualifying Tournament in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo on Sunday. With him are teammate Kanta Ando (second place), China's Junjie Fan (third place) and Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) President Tom Carrasco. (Photo courtesy of TRAP)
SUBIC -- Japan's Teppei Tokuyama and Singapore's Emma Ada Middleditch will banner the Asian entries in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Bueno Aires, Argentina.
Tokuyama and Middleditch topped their respective divisions in the Asian Triathlon Confederation (ASTC) Youth Olympic Games qualifying tournament at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone on Sunday.
The competition was limited to only running and cycling after the tournament organizer, the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP), found the Subic Bay waters dirty and unsafe for swimming.
The 16-year-old Tokuyama from Kyoto Prefecture topped the men's division in 54 minutes and 29 seconds. His teammate Kanta Ando placed second in 54:37 while China's Junjie Fan was third in 55:31.
Middleditch, who was born in Singapore to a British father and a French mother, won the gold medal in the women's division after clocking 1:01:44.
South Korea's Jung Won Lee registered 1:02.34 to take the silver while China's Xinying Yu got the bronze in 1:02:52.
Aside from Tokuyama and Fan, also earning slots in the YOG, which will be held from October 8 to 16, were Hong Kong's Tik Long Hung, Malaysia's Xian Hao Chong and Zakaria Alkarat of Syria in the men's division, and South Korea's Jung Won Lee, China's Xinying Yu, Japan's Maki Uchida and Hong Kong's Hiu Yee Chan.
In the Southeast Asian Triathlon (SEATA) Sprint Championships, the winners were John Chicano (men's) and Kim Kilgroe (women's).
Chicano clocked 54 minutes and 54 seconds to win the gold medal over teammate Andrew Remolino (55:38) and Indonesia's Jauhari Johan (55:44).
Kilgroe won the race in 1:02:37, beating Singapore's Phoebe Kee (1:04:28) and compatriot Ma. Claire Adorna (1:06:51)
A total of 56 athletes from 17 countries joined the tournament, which was supported by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, the Philippine Sports Commission, Standard Insurance, Gatorade and Asian Center for Insulation. (PNA)
