‘IRONMAN’ returns to Camarines Sur

By Charen Vera

Camarines Sur has once again proved to be the Sports and Adventure Capital of the Philippines after impressively and successfully holding the return of the 5150 Triathlon and Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint last February 11, 2024, in the province where it all began.

In 2009, CamSur made history after being the very first province in the country to host the internationally-renowned race, IRONMAN 70.3 Triathlon and IRONKIDS. This feat has introduced the Philippines to the global arena of sports, marking CamSur as a burgeoning province for sports tourism.

Just this weekend, the Sunrise Events Inc., in partnership with the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur assiduously led by Governor Luigi Villafuerte, brought the Olympic distance triathlon to its original race destination in Pili, CamSur.

Over 250 triathletes, both professional and amateur, and local, national, and foreign nationals traveled to CamSur to partake in this homecoming race.

The homecoming race received massive positive feedback from the first-time racers in the province, but most critically and especially, from OG-triathletes who first experienced the IRONMAN Triathlon in CamSur year 2009-2011.

During its media conference, the OG-triathletes said that CamSur has always felt like home and that it felt almost nostalgic to be coming back to the province after all these years.

“Sobrang happy ako na nandito ulit ako sa CamSur. As usual, di nila ako ni-disappoint. Same pa rin yung feeling and yung vibe ng mga tao. Sobrang supportive pa rin ng mga taga CamSur, especially sa bike. Whole route may mga nagche-cheer samin, may mga nagsu-support at nakakagana para saming [mga athlete] pag may ganon,” pro-athlete Kim Mangrobang, who was also among the youngest racers during 2011 triathlon in CamSur, shared.

Comparing who she was in 2011, Mangrobang said that she was so young then and hasn’t been exposed that much yet to the world of triathlon. “[13 years ago] sobrang baby pa ko noon at hindi pa ganun ka-expose sa racing kaya nakakatuwang makabalik ngayon dito sa CamSur na more experienced athlete na ako,” she continued.

Mangrobang owned the women’s category of the 5150 CamSur with a leg time of 0:01:18 (swim), 1:12:02 (bike) and 45:27 (run).

When asked about whether she’ll be coming back to race in CamSur, Mangrobang swiftly answered, “Yes, of course. Nage-enjoy ako every time na nandito ako sa CamSur and most probably babalik-balik ako [rito].”

Apart from the nostalgia the 5150 CamSur brought, the OG-triathletes also noted the considerable changes and development in the province in terms of amenities and infrastructures. If there’s one thing that remained the same, it’s the warmth and welcoming feeling the people of CamSur emanate. Spectators lined the bike and run route to watch, cheer, and offer support to all the participants.

To ensure the safety and security of the participants, spectators, and personnel involved in the 5150 CamSur, the Provincial Government of CamSur activated the CamSur Incident Management Team (IMT) and employed a comprehensive incident action plan to mitigate potential risks, manage the flow of traffic, minimize injuries, and address the health needs of all participants.

In its return after more than a decade, the 5150 CamSur exceeded expectations and with it, Governor Luigi Villafuerte looks forward to next year’s bigger and better race experience.