Sunday’s social media newsfeeds were flooded with images of the Alveo Ironman 70.3 race from proud race finishers to the gritty winners.
But the heat online did not even come close to the heat during the covering 1.9-kilometer swim, 90k bike, and 21k run.
Felipe Azevedo and Sarah Crowley came through with the biggest races of their career to rule the Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao pro category that was marred with a participant’s death and an accident during the race on Sunday which ended at the Azuela Cove in Davao City.
The Portuguese finished the grueling race in three hours, 51 minutes and 10 seconds, while Crowley from Australia breasted the finish tape in 4:20.15.
Crowley admitted it was her toughest race yet with the heat just too much to bear.
“That was a hot one. Super proud to win this one. Honestly (I) was running to survive on that run, probably the hottest run leg of my career,” said Crowley in her Facebook account.
Crowley took the lead in the later stages of the bike stage and never looked back to pull away in 4 hours, 20 minutes and 15 seconds in the women’s category.
American Lauren Brandon was second at 4:22:50 while third was Lottie Lucas of UAE at 4:25:10.
Crowley also congratulated Brandon and Lucas for making the podium. She also praised the organizers “for making it such an awesome race experience.”
Finishing second in the men’s pro race was Serbian Ognjen Stojanovic who clocked in at 3:52.29, while Taiwanese Chun Chang completed the top three in 3:57.13.
Over 1,700 triathletes from 46 countries endured the grueling heat and competition of this presitigous international triathlon event organized by Ironman Philippines and Sunrise Events.
Despite the resounding success, the Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao was marred with a death from a participant, while another triathlete and a spectator were involved in a serious accident during the race.
A Filipino male participant allegedly suffered a ‘heart attack’ during the swim portion of the race.
According to the organizers’ official statement, the participant was transported to the nearest hospital for treatment. However, he succumbed to death afterwards.
