22-year old Mauricio Mendez conquers 1st Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao

Mauricio Mendez, the 22-year old triathlete from Mexico, won the first Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao Sunday (March 25) after finishing the race in 3:50:32, besting 1,800 entries from 39 countries. The race kicked off at 6:10 a.m. with the 1.9-kilometer swim course followed by a 90-kilometer bike and 21-kilometer run.

Mauricio Mendez (photo courtesy of Asia Ironman)

Mendez, who finished 2nd in the 2017 Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 held in Cebu, also have other Ironman titles including the 2017 Ironman 70.3 Texas, 2017 Ironman 70.3 Los Cabos and 2016 Ironman 70.3 Cozumel. He also has several Xterra titles including a World Championship in the 2016 Xterra, 2016 Xterra Sweden, 2016 Xterra Denmark, 2016 Xterra Italy and 2013 Xterra World Championships.

Herbalife GM Rosalio Valenzuela, Sunrise Events
GM Princess Galura and Mauricio Mendez

“I am very strong in running, with only around an hour for a 21-kilometer run,” Mendez said when interviewed by datelinedavao two-days before the race. The triathlete admits he is a coffee lover.

The other top winners are Australians Tim van Berkel (third) and Tim Reed (second) who is a three-time champion of the Ironman 70.3 in Cebu. 

“It’s my first time here in Davao and I tried biking, if you really get away from the city it is very good for biking especially the weather,” Australian Eric Watson said. He said his strength is in swimming but is a bit slow in biking.

Maurice Mendez, Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao Champion and Eric Watson


Sunrise Events GM Princess Galura said they only targetted 1,000 for Ironman Davao but it was sold out in just five days so they opened it to more participants. Out of the total number of participants, 30% are foreigners.

Galura said they have 56 countries participating in Ironman Cebu but it took them 17 years to do this for Cebu so she is very excited about the future of Ironman in Davao.

Finishers of the Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao received very special medals called “Duyan ng Magiting” or Cradle of the Brave. The medal, which was designed by artist Kublai Milan who is also from Davao, features an Agung, a percussion instrument surrounded by the symbols of the swim, bike and run events. The T’boli community helped Mr. Milan craft all the medals.

Movie Guide: IronMan On a 2-Week Roll

IronMan has managed to snag movie sales tickets of up to $210 million since it opened in cinemas worldwide last week. In Davao City, the Red and Gold clad modern hero is on its second week in both SM City Davao Cinema and NCCC Cinema. IronMan's boxoffice love affair maybe shortlived though as SpeedRacer is expected to open in US and other Cinemas worldwide.

Davao moviegoers will definitely have a busy time this week even sans the opening of SpeedRacer considering that Ploning (filmed in Cuyo, Palawan and starring Judy Ann Santos as a spinster waiting for the return of her man) and The Other Boleyn Girl (starring World's sexiest Scarlett Johannson and Star Wars' Queen Amidala---Natalie Portman).

The Other Boleyn Girl is a must-see for those who are yearning for very good and not just entertaining movies. It is a movie that explains how Queen Elizabeth became what she is---the other Boleyn Girl here, Portman, turns out to be the mother of Queen Elizabeth. It reveals how greed and treachery can creep even within a family even to the extent of destroying everyone in that family. Johannson's role is that of a meek sister who became King Henry's other woman. In her quest for power, Portman becomes successful in her demands to King Henry: declare his marriage null and void (as the Queen could not bear a son) and marry Portman to legalize his heir. In the end, it's all about lust, greed and the power of a woman to make a man digress from his principles.

Ploning GP

SM Cinema 2 11:50/1:40/3:30/5:20/7:10

The Other Boleyn Girl PG13

SM Cinema 5 11:40/2:00/4:20/6:40/9:00

Wednesday Movie Guide

Ironman is finally here in Davao particularly at SM City Cinema 1. (I just checked with NCCC Cinema and they have it too --- they have new theaters, new seats!) I'm excited to see Robert Downey in that gold and red hit-tech suit to fight crime. Downey is Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and weapons maker who was captured by terrorists in the Middle East. He dons the suit and becomes Ironman to protect the very people who have been victimized by the weapons he created. It also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, a very talented actress who starred in unforgettable movies like Shakespeare in Love.

As a promotional gimmick for the movie, an LG IronMan 18 karat gold phone has been released. The phone, which is worth $2000 is not available anywhere but only at the IronMan website. That is, if you are lucky enough to win their contest.

Well, you can buy cheap IronMan memorabilia at Jollibee Just buy the Kiddie Meal and choose from the IronMan watch, game, notebook and shades.

IronMan GP

SM Cinema 1 11:05/1:30/4:00/6:30/9:00

NCCC Cinema 2 12:00/2:30/5:00/7:30/10:00

Ploning

SM Cinema 2 11:50/1:40/3:30/5:20/7:10

When Love Begins

SM Cinema 3 & 4 11:25/1:20/3:15/5:10/7:05