Reigning Southeast Asian Games triathlon champions John Chicano and Kim Mangrobang will banner the strong field participating in the 2021 National Duathlon Trials set Dec. 12 at the Clark Parade Grounds in Pampanga.

The race is part of the selection process for the national team that will be competing in the 31st SEAG in Hanoi, Vietnam in May next year.

Though Chicano and Mangrobang race in triathlon, Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) president Tom Carrasco said the two elite athletes can also compete in the run-bike-run race.

“Both could be our best duathletes as Monica Torres has retired and Joey Delos Reyes is nursing an injury,” said Carrasco.

Torres is the 2019 SEAG gold champion while Delos Reyes won silver.

Also up for the challenge in the local race are Kim Remolino, who won triathlon silver in the previous SEAG, two-time triathlon SEAG Nikko Huelgas, and 2019 SEAG duathlon mixed relay bronze winners Efraim Iñigo and Mary Pauline Fornea.

The race is the first event in two years since pandemic hit. The last time TRAP organized a race was in January 2019 via the Subic National Age Group Triathlon.

Prior to the pandemic, races were held every year as part of the national pool’s training evaluation for future international races.

“But in the absence of events (brought by the pandemic the past years), this year’s trials acquaire greater significance,” said Carrasco.

Carrasco said they expect 200 participants to join including members of the national training pool.