Paraguayan Arce and Argentinian Fraga dominate Ironman 70.3

Paraguayan Andrés Arce and Argentinian Florencia Fraga won the top honors this Sunday at the Ironman 70.3 of Panama, held in the capital city of Calzada de Amador, on the Pacific coast of that Central American country.

Athlete Guarani managed to take advantage in the cycling stage, where he won, finishing with a time of 4:02:46.

“This was a unique moment, you always try your best, and what is happening is the result of everything we trained for, it’s great especially that everything turned out as planned,” said the athlete after crossing the finish line. .

Arce added that the most difficult part of the competition was the 21-kilometer foot race, due to the high level of humidity that appeared at the last point of the Amador Causeway.

“The race was difficult, the section at the end of the Coastway was very wet, in three laps I always felt withdrawn, on the verge of cramping. In order to keep the goal, I had to mentally strengthen myself, get rid of that feeling and be able to continue,” he said.

He explained that he has been preparing for this type of exam for six years and that this is the first time he has won and that makes this victory special.

He announced that due to the arrival of his son, he will not go to the World Championships in Finland, the place he secured this Sunday in Panama, but he will be at the Ironman next May in Florianópolis, Brazil.

The winner was seen off by the Colombian DAS Montealegre with a time of 4:09:02, and in the third box was the Surinamese Oliver Nogolotte with a time of 4:11:56.

In the women’s division, Argentina’s Florencia Fraga showed off her karate skills in the foot race to win with a final time of 4:32:16.

Fraga waited until the last lap to leave behind the competitors from the Dominican Republic and Guatemala, who had been leading the race until then.

“Talking to my coach, he told me to do the race from low to high, for me it’s difficult because I’m very explosive, I did well, I stayed close to the lead and in the end I was able to pass and win,” he said.

Fraga, who lives in Panama, adds his second victory in this kind of competition, the first in 2015.

“I am happy because of what I have achieved, happy because women can do this and more, I congratulate everyone. I dedicate this victory to my family and husband, I love them very much,” she said.

The winner of the women’s category refused to go to the World Cup in Finland because of the distance and high costs, but her goal is the Ironman World Cup in Kona, Hawaii.

Behind Fraga came Dominican Brenda Schaupp (4:33:56) and Guatemalan Ana Isabel García Rodás (4:34:02).

Team A Tope Reloaded from Panama was first in the overall team standings with a time of 4:42:12.