CEBU, Philippines – Celebrity athletes Piolo Pascual and Enchong Dee team up to lead the Sun Life Financial realy team’s bid in the 2018 Ironman 70.3 race here. 

Former national tanker Dee will kick off the action in the swim stage, while Pascual will take over in the bike leg. Toniel Ty will finish the 70.3 race in the final 21-kilometer run. 

Competing in his 7th Cebu Ironman race, Pascual aims to surpass his previous performance even after juggling his training with his television series “Since I Found You.” 

“I have to be able to finish stronger than last year,” said Pascual. 

“So it’s a bit of a challenge for me to be able to train this time because I’m doing a soap. At the same time to be able to train and find time for it, it’s a bit of a stretch.” 

The actor will also be challenged by the new 3-loop bike route at the Mactan-Mandaue bridge. The organizers decided to use the new route due to the ongoing construction along the South Coastal Road in Cebu. 

“The hard part there is that when you turn into the loop, that’s when a lot of people kind of mob you so I hope the audience or the people who are going out there to cheer us on will be more disciplined,” added the long-time matinee star. 

“I hope and pray that it will be a fun race, a safe one.” 

Dee, on the other hand, remains formidable in the water even years after a decorated swimming career.

Before becoming an actor, Dee led De La Salle University (DLSU) in 2009 to its first UAAP swimming title in 6 years while bagging 3 MVP titles throughout his collegiate career.

Dee also represented the country in the 2005 and 2007 Southeast Asian Games and the 2006 Asian Games. – Rappler.com