ANOTHER gold for the Philippines as national team standout and Southeast Asian (SEA) Games-bound Kira Ellis dominated the 2025 Europe Triathlon Junior Women Cup over the weekend in Riga, Latvia.
Rising to the high expectations set for her, the 18-year-old triathlete dominated the Junior Women Cup, showing that the country has a dependable talent in the sport for years to come.
Ellis clocked one hour, five minutes, and seven seconds to win the elite 750m swim, 22km bike, and 5.1km run event, beating 15 competitors from 10 countries to secure the top spot on the podium.
The Filipino triathlete star broke away during the run leg after tight margins in the swim and bike segments, finishing ahead of Belgium’s Luca Vanderbruggen (1:05:17) and Germany’s Sarah Walter (1:05:22).
The win marked a strong comeback for Ellis after suffering a shin injury earlier this month. She steadily regained form through a high-performance training camp in Portugal, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Gold in Riga
Ellis shared her emotions on social media after the win, admitting that the decision to join the tournament was uncertain for her and her coaching team, as she was still working her way back to full form after the injury.
“Honestly, I was just happy to be back on the start line after not racing for a while. This year has been quite tough for me. There were definitely a lot of low moments, but also so many lessons that helped me grow as an athlete,” Ellis said.
“A few weeks before Riga, my coaches and I were still debating whether I was ready to compete. I hadn’t really done any interval sessions-mostly just steady runs-so we weren’t sure where my run would stand.”
“But to me, just getting on to a start line again was all I’ve wished for. Based on my swim and bike training, I knew I had a shot at the podium, but I tried not to put too much pressure on myself and just enjoy racing again,” she added.
Everything’s Worth It
Ellis, a gold medalist in aquathlon at the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games, is expected to lead the Philippine delegation in this year’s regional biennial meet in Thailand this December.
A varsity athlete at Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina, she also topped the 2024 Asia Triathlon Junior Cup, cementing her status as one of the country’s most promising athletes for international events.
Despite her accomplishments, Ellis admitted she still has areas to improve, noting she struggled to fully finish a triathlon without falling short after the first two legs before.
“Not long ago, I could only manage the first two legs of a triathlon-the swim and bike-before having to stop at 12. So going into this race knowing I could run pain-free and actually leave T2 was already a huge win,” she said.
“I can’t put to words how happy I was just being able to do that. And ultimately that bliss is what won this race for me. Coming out of T2, I expected to be running with a pack of girls, so l was shocked when I looked back and saw I had a small gap.”
“Since I had no idea how my run would go, it was a huge surprise to clock my fastest 5km split so far,” she went on to say.
Ellis also shared that the Riga race will always hold a special place in her heart, adding it to her growing trophy collection at such a young age. Now, she shifts her focus to the fast-approaching SEA Games, hoping to bring the country another moment of pride.
