SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE – International triathlon contenders used the 2026 NTT AST Subic Bay International Triathlon as a launching pad for the World Cup season, with Canada’s Liam Donnelly and Japan’s Hayashi Manami emerging as elite champions on Saturday.
Donnelly stamped his class in the men’s sprint event, finishing the 750m swim, 20km bike, and 5km run in 56:16. The 26-year-old Ontario athlete immediately credited both the race conditions and Filipino hospitality for a strong season opener ahead of his World Cup stint in China.
“It’s a beautiful country and very welcoming,” he said. “The heat made it challenging, but I stayed in control and it worked out well.”
He was followed closely by Kazakhstan’s Daryn Konysbayev (56:28), while Japan’s Takuto Oshima completed the podium in 56:50.
Among the Filipinos, Iñaki Lorbes led the charge with a time of 58:57, ahead of Andrew Kim Remolino and several other national entries.
The women’s elite race saw a tight finish between Japanese sisters, with Hayashi Manami taking gold in 1:02:29 and Ayame Hayashi settling for silver just 11 seconds behind. Türkiye’s Sinem Francisca Tous Servera completed the podium.
Manami continues her strong form after last year’s SuBIT standard-distance victory and is now set for back-to-back international races in China and Japan later this month.
Filipino athletes struggled to break into the top ranks, with Faith Raven Alcoseba finishing as the country’s best in 16th place.
The Philippines, however, still secured a medal in the junior elite women’s division through Anisha Eunice Caluya, who claimed bronze behind Kazakhstan’s Alua Nurmuhamet and Kaleriya Shneider.
In the junior men’s category, Kazakhstan’s Ramazan Ainegov took gold, reinforcing his rising status after recent podium finishes in Asian competitions.
Organizers Triathlon Philippines, together with SBMA and PSC, continue the event on Sunday with age-group races, wrapping up a key stop in the Asia Triathlon Cup circuit.
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