MANILA – Guimarasnon Lea Denise Belgira lived up to expectations. She topped the Women’s category of the PhilCycling Mountain Bike National Trials for Downhill in Barangay Sandayong Sur on Sunday in Danao City, Cebu.
Belgira ruled the Women Elite gold medal. She negotiated the 850-meter International Cycling Union-grade course in one minute and 29.164 seconds.
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist was ahead by 2.023 seconds to Naomi Gardoce who settled for silver. Jade Nicole Baleta bagged bronze after finishing 29.289 seconds back.
Eleazar Barba Jr., meanwhile, topped the Men Elite category. He clocked 1:13.593. Emmanuel Torregoza Cabalquinto snatched the silver medal with his 1:15.175.
Jerich Farr, a gold medal winner during the 2019 SEA Games, was slightly off his elements and settled for the bronze medal with a time of 1:15.671.
The 1-2-3 finishers in the 16-below categories were Gwen Hanah Barba, Samantha Rem Yuson and Alexa Ysabel Barba in women’s and Khim Catalbas, Renselle Abada and Ray Gabriel Arat in men’s
Ending with gold-silver-bronze also were Mark Hector Medenilla, Adrian Nino Villanueva and Wendell Barna in Men Master A; and Frederick Farr, Jonathan Verga and Leopoldo Ocampo in Men Master B.
According to PhilCycling chairman Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez, the trials were staged under authority of regional health and safety task force against the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
“Our national athletes proved they are in top shape despite the difficulties in training because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Rodriguez said. “And we are all happy that MTB is alive despite all the safety protocols.”
Prior to this, the PhilCycling, headed by Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino also conducted national trials in MTB crosscountry-Olympic also in Danao City in June and Road in Clark in July./PN
