Ramos takes shot at tougher race in Davao
Joshua Ramos takes his act up a tougher notch later this month, but the aim remains the same.
The champion in Guimaras 5150 last week, the 24-year-old Baguio native leads a big local cast seeing action in the Ironman 70.3 Davao, a much demanding event where Ramos will be eyeing no less than a podium finish if not the championship itself.
“Guimaras was a fitness check, since I’m (really) doing Ironman (in Davao),” Ramos, who triumphed over fellow Filipino elite contenders Matthew Hermosa and Kim Remolino in Guimaras, said as he braces for the 1.9-kilometer swim, 90-km and 21.2-km event in Davao.
A member of the national training pool, Ramos will be doing 400 meters more of the swim, 50 kilometers more of the bike and a half-marathon compared to the 10-km foot race he did in Guimaras.
With the race being longer, heat could be a factor, even as the bike course in Davao has been set up to demand more tactical riding from the competitors.
Meanwhile, Bea Quiambao, another multi-winner in the 5150 races who skipped the Guimaras leg, leads the women’s Elite Category field in the event organized by Sunrise Events, Inc.
The Davao stop is also expected to draw a strong international field competing across various age categories together with the Open championship division, making for a wide-open tournament.
This will also mark the fifth time that Davao is hosting the premier endurance event after taking a break last year. Organizers and the host city are working closely to ensure the smooth conduct and overall success of the competition.
