Triathletes: Camotes NAGT offers 2027 Sea-Plus Youth Games slots

CEBU CITY, Philippines — More than medals will be at stake when Camotes Island hosts the 2026 National Age Group Triathlon Series on Oct. 24-25, as promising young triathletes look to earn a place in the country’s development pool for the 2027 Southeast Asia Plus Youth Games.

The Camotes leg will form part of Triathlon Philippines’ talent identification program, with the federation using the competition to assess athletes who could be considered for its National Youth Training Pool (NYTP). The pool is expected to play a key role in preparing the country’s next generation of triathletes for the 2027 Games, which the Philippines will host.

Triathlon Philippines president Tom Carrasco Jr. said the event is designed to provide young athletes with a clear pathway toward international competition.

“Bringing the National Age Group Triathlon Series to Camotes Island is about more than staging races. It is about creating opportunities for young athletes, discovering future champions, and building a clear pathway for their development as we prepare for the 2027 Southeast Asia Plus Youth Games,” Carrasco said.

The two-day event will feature Elite, Junior Elite, Youth/U15, Super Trikids and Age Group categories. The action starts Oct. 24 with the National Age Group Duathlon in Tudela and Poro at 6 a.m., followed by the National Age Group Aquathlon at Santiago Bay at 3 p.m.

Racing in October

The main National Age Group Triathlon will be held October. 25 at 6 a.m., also at Santiago Bay. Athletes identified through the series will be monitored under the NYTP through competition, training and development programs, giving them an opportunity to progress toward national team consideration ahead of the 2027 Games.

The event is being organized by Triathlon Philippines in partnership with the Cebu Provincial Government, led by Gov. Pamela Baricuatro through the Cebu Provincial Sports Commission, and the municipalities of San Francisco, Poro and Tudela.

CPSC chairman Dr. Rhoel Dejano has also been coordinating with the mayors of the Camotes municipalities on the hosting of the event and other sports development initiatives on the island.

Camotes previously hosted the National Age Group Triathlon Cebu Leg in 2017. Its return to the national calendar will also support Cebu’s efforts to promote sports tourism, but for the young athletes taking part, the bigger objective is clear: perform well, get noticed and position themselves for a possible spot in the national youth development program for the 2027 Southeast Asia Plus Youth Games.

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.