PHNOM PENH—Kim Mangrobang saved her best for last under scorching heat to retain the women’s duathlon gold medal in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games on Sunday.
Mangrobang had a shaky start in the 5-km run but picked up steam in the 20-km bike leg and scooted to the finish in the 2.5-km run to again emerge victorious at the Kep Beach Resort venue.
The three-time SEA Games triathlon champion clocked one hour, four minutes and 25.3 seconds while Thi Phuong Trinh Nguyen of Vietnam crossed the finish line in 1:05:13.5 and bagged the silver medal.
Indonesia’s Maharani Wahyuningt placed third in 1:06:17.4.
Kira Ellis, Mangrobang’s teammate, checked in fifth (1:07.13), the same finish of Filipino-Spanish Fernando Casares, who missed out on a podium finish in men’s duathlon.
Mangrobang attempts to make it four in a row in women’s triathlon on Monday in a much-awaited duel with Cambodia naturalized athlete Margot Marabedian, a former French triathlete who ruled the women’s aquathlon sprint last Saturday.
Cebuano Andrew Kim Remolino earlier claimed a silver medal in the men’s aquathlon.