By Recthie T. Paculba
CAMIGUIN (PIA) — Driven by overwhelming community backing and a united provincial effort, Camiguin hosted the 5150 Triathlon, drawing 306 athletes from 15 countries and local participants and showcasing the island’s strength as a rising sports tourism destination.
Gov. Xavier Jesus Romualdo emphasized the collective push behind the event, stating, “This whole 5150 in Camiguin is truly a whole-province effort. Everyone in the province really worked for it because we want all of our participants, all of our guests, first of all, to be safe, to have a very pleasant and fun experience, and to go home with wonderful memories of Camiguin.”
He added, “And hopefully, as my father says, Camiguin means ‘come again,’ and so all of our guests will come again and again and again to future 5150 and Sunrise events in Camiguin.”
Echoing this spirit of unity, Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo highlighted inclusivity and pride in hosting the international race, saying, “And everybody is welcome in the province of Camiguin. As they always say, [we] don’t care what your color, your creed, or your religion. As long as you just enjoy the beautiful province of Camiguin.”
He further noted that the event “is another feather in the cap of the province, especially not only in tourism but also all over the world. There is a beautiful island, a very beautiful, beautiful island in the Philippines, the province of Camiguin, that you have to come to.”
For Sunrise Events, the success of the race reflected both preparation and local cooperation, with Sunrise Events President and General Manager Princess Galura expressing her gratitude for the warm welcome extended to Sunrise, Ironman, and triathletes from 15 countries to the beautiful island and province of Camiguin.
“Nung una kaming pumunta dito, na-wow na kami. So sabi namin, teka lang we have to make sure that we can swim, bike, and run here,” Galura said.
(When we first came here, we were amazed. So we said, wait, we have to make sure that we can swim, bike, and run here.)
She also stressed the importance of collaboration, adding, “The province really made an effort. They are making you race in areas nobody used to race. You have to properly thank everybody tomorrow because they are letting us race in their beautiful island.”
Race day on May 3 began as early as 4:00 a.m. with transition and helmet checks at the Old Church Ruins in Catarman, followed by the Sunrise Sprint rolling start at 5:40 a.m. and the 5150 Camiguin age group and relay rolling start at 6:30 a.m. at the Sunken Cemetery. The day concluded with post-race celebrations and awards presentations at the New Camiguin Gymnasium, Cong. Pedro Palarca Romualdo Sports Complex.
Athletes themselves felt the strong local support throughout the course. Julius Pamisa shared, “It was a wild experience, but overall maka-happy ang support sa Camiguingnon. Bibo ang dalan.”
(It was a wild experience, but overall the support in Camiguingnon makes me happy. The road was full of life and energy.)
Meanwhile, John Rey Totax Casiño Tumanda said, “It’s one of the best experiences: 5150 Camiguin. Wala ko’y masulti kung dili sulit kaayo nga race. Thank you, people of Camiguin, sa grabe nga pagsuporta ninyo from the start to finish ang tao naa gyud para mu-cheer grabe maka boost og energy.”
(It’s one of the best experiences: 5150 Camiguin. I can’t say enough other than it was a very worthwhile race. Thank you, people of Camiguin, for your intense support from the start to the finish; people are really there to cheer, and it really boosts our energy.)
In the race results, Kenneth Bonda from Lanao del Norte clinched the overall champion title with a time of 2:20:00, while Bea Marie Quiambao from Davao emerged as the female champion, finishing at 2:44:17.
Meanwhile, Yuen Verbruggen dominated the Sunrise Sprint category as overall champion with a time of 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 15 seconds, while Patricia Cruz-Bautista secured the Sunrise Sprint Camiguin female champion title with a time of 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 15 seconds, capping off a race fueled by both athletic excellence and strong community support. (RTP/PIA-10/Camiguin)
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