DUATHLON – BAHRAIN’S star triathlete Moussa Karich captured the elite men’s title on home soil yesterday in the 2025 Asia Triathlon Duathlon Championships, hosted by the kingdom.
The prestigious event, registered on the 2025 calendar of World Triathlon, the sport’s international governing body, was held at Amwaj Islands and it featured a wide participation of elite athletes, both men and women, from across the continent.
China’s Lu Ziqing was crowned winner of the elite women’s race.
The event was held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority (GSA) chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
GSA vice-chairman and Bahrain Combat Sports Council president Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa was on hand to present the awards post-race.
Competing across the duathlon standard distance, Karich made the most of home-field advantage to post a winning total time of one hour and 16 minutes amongst the elite men. He started off his bid completing the opening five-km run in 14 minutes 40 seconds, and then followed it up with a 45:42 showing in the ensuing 30km cycle. Karich then powered to the finish in 15:02 over the concluding five-km run for gold.
Karich triumphed with a comfortable gap ahead of silver-medallist Mohamed Nemsi of Morocco, who finished in 1:16:21, while Tong Yujia of China claimed the bronze medal in 1:16:45.
Krzysztof Hadas of Poland was fourth in 1:16:58, Franklin Yee of the Philippines fifth in 1:17:15, Reo Ishizeki of Japan sixth in 1:17:19, and Duan Zhengyu of China seventh in 1:17:24. James Hodgson of Great Britain completed the elite men’s top eight in 1:17:26.
With his result, Karich’s gold added to the silver medal he won amongst the elite men in the 2023 edition of the Asia Triathlon Duathlon Championships, which was held at New Clark City in the Philippines.
On the distaff, Ziqing took first place amongst the elite women in 1:28:24. She completed the first 5km run in 17:58, finished her 30km bike ride in 51:15, and then bagged her gold medal with an 18:31 showing in the race-ending 5km leg.
Merry Joy Trupa and Marion Kim Mangrobang made it two athletes from the Philippines on the podium. Trupa was the silver-medallist in 1:29:16, while Mangrobang took bronze in 1:33:14.
Hadis Nasr Azadani of Iran came fourth in 1:35:25, Bea Quiambao of the Philippines finished fifth in 1:35:39, Shokouh Tayyareh Khajouie of Iran was sixth in 1:36:14, and Jena Valdez (1:41:00) of the Philippines and Shokofeh Davari Yekta (+1 lap) of Iran completed the top eight.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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