China rules last event; Para-triathletes steal show
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Chinese celebrated atop the podium after the mixed team relay event but it was the five para-triathletes that were given much attention at the end of the 20th Asian Triathlon Confederation (ASTC) K-Swiss Asian Triathlon Championships. China, with Japanese men's and women's elite champions Yuichi Hosoda and Mariko Adachi skipping the final event, topped the Mixed Team relay Monday held at Dungaree beach. The Chinese actually fielded three teams in the mixed relay with the other squad finishing third behind runners-up Japan. But organizers ruled out that one team per country will win in the race giving the bronze medal to Hong Kong, which placed fourth. China's mixed relay team composed of Dan Fan, Bai Faquan, Huang Yuting and Duan Zhengyu registered a combined time of one hour, 31 minutes and 22 seconds. Japan – behind the combined exploits of Sumire Ohara, Fumika Matsumoto, Shirubu Taniguchi and Jumpei Furuya – led from the start but wilted under pr...