GUIMARAS – Baguio City triathlete Joshua Ramos delivered a dominant closing run to outlast a stacked field of national team standouts and capture the Filipino Elite crown in the 5150 Triathlon Guimaras on Sunday, powering through punishing heat and a demanding Olympic-distance course to claim one of the event’s most coveted titles.
Ramos stamped his class in the decisive run leg, clocking the fastest split of 38 minutes and 50 seconds to finish the 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-kilometer bike, and 10-kilometer run race in 2:14:00 and secure a convincing two-minute victory over fellow elite contender Matthew Hermosa.
The 24-year-old triathlete showcased tactical patience and endurance throughout the race, staying within striking distance in the early stages before unleashing his decisive surge during the final run.
Early morning rain greeted the athletes before the swim start, but the conditions quickly shifted as the rain gave way to intense heat that lingered through the bike and run segments, testing the endurance and race management of the competitors.
Ramos exited the water in second place with a time of 23:35, just behind early pace-setter Kim Remolino, who posted the fastest swim split of 23:31. Hermosa was close behind with a 23:36 clocking, setting up a tight battle among the elite contenders.
Remolino initially controlled the tempo but struggled to maintain momentum in the latter stages. He logged 1:15:25 in the bike leg and 42:33 in the run to settle for third place overall with a time of 2:23:26.
Ramos began asserting his advantage during the bike segment, clocking 1:09:32 to open a significant gap over Hermosa, who completed the ride in 1:11:28.
Hermosa mounted a strong challenge in the run with a 39:07 split but could not match Ramos’ late-race surge, eventually finishing second overall with a time of 2:16:18.
Still, Ramos saved his strongest push for the final stage, unleashing everything he had left to dominate the closing run and add another major title to his growing triathlon résumé.
“It feels great. It’s always an honor to race alongside them,” said Ramos. “The course was really challenging, but I enjoyed it.”
The victory carried added significance as the Filipino Elite division, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, also served as a showcase event aimed at inspiring aspiring triathletes to follow the path of the country’s top endurance athletes.
In the women’s Filipino Elite division, Erika Burgos raced unopposed but still delivered an impressive performance, completing the course in 2:36:30.
Aside from earning the distinction of becoming the first Filipino Elite champions of the 5150 Guimaras, Ramos and Burgos each received P10,000 in prize money from organizers Sunrise Events, Inc./PN
