Latest news with #Benedicto
Filipino Times
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Filipino Times
From delivering ice to becoming a veteran triathlete: August Benedicto bags Bagong Bayani Award
Long before the finish lines, medals, and global competitions, August Benedicto's story began on a bike, not racing, but delivering blocks of ice under the heat of the Tarlac sun. With eight siblings and a family struggling to make ends meet in Paniqui, young August knew that education was a luxury he had to fight for. So he peddled through early mornings, balancing schoolbooks with sacks of ice, chasing dreams that, back then, seemed far from the Ironman banners he'd one day cross. Now 41, Benedicto has become one of the most enduring names in Philippine triathlon. At the recently concluded Century Tuna Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay, held under grueling 40-degree heat, the Ireland-based Filipino veteran dug deep once again, finishing second overall with a time of 4 hours, 40 minutes, and 58 seconds. His performance earned him the Bagong Bayani award, a special recognition given to elite Filipino athletes who continue to raise the flag in international endurance sports. The course, brutal by any standard, featured a 1.9-kilometer swim, a 90-kilometer bike ride, and a punishing 21-kilometer run. Benedicto split 31:19 in the swim, 2:30:06 on the bike, and capped it off with a 1:33:59 run—yet another strong showing in a career that has spanned over two decades. From school to international tracks It's a journey built on quiet sacrifice. His first foray into competitive sports came at 14, when he was discovered for his raw talent in long-distance running. From school-level track meets to eventually earning a slot in the Palarong Pambansa, Benedicto made each opportunity count. He took on his first duathlon in 2003 and finished near the bottom of the pack. But the fire had been lit. By 2005, he was part of the Philippine Sports Commission's training pool and represented the country at the Southeast Asian Games in Pattaya, Thailand, clinching a bronze medal. It was there that he met British triathlete and future Ironman legend Chrissie Wellington, who encouraged him to try his hand at the sport that would later define his athletic life. He joined his first Ironman 70.3 in 2009 in Camarines Sur and finished as the fourth Filipino to complete the course. In 2012, he made history by clinching his first Filipino Elite title at Cobra Ironman 70.3, a feat he repeated in 2014, 2015, and 2016. 'I was so excited for this year's race,' Benedicto said after the event. 'Just imagine, I'm already 41 and I'm still competing with younger athletes, national team members, and elite triathletes. But I focused on my training — 10 to 15 hours a week, every week. One hour swimming, one hour running, and 100 kilometers of biking every weekend.' Sights on World Championships Dedication, it seems, is the fuel that keeps Benedicto going. He credits his wife Anna and longtime friend Cesar Manlikmot as pillars of support through the highs and lows. 'This award is for my family. For Anna. For everyone who stood by me,' he said with pride. As the finish line at Subic fades into memory, a new goal already looms: the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Mabea, Spain, this November. Benedicto is training for that with the same fire that once drove a teenage boy to deliver ice — not just to help his family, but to carve out a future no one thought possible. Also shining in Subic was Iriga City's John Patrick Ciron, who won the men's elite title with a time of 4:37:28, while Indonesia's Dea Salsabila Putri topped the women's division in 5:26:22. Erika Nicole Burgos, another Filipino standout, placed third in the women's elite category with 5:32:30, earning her a Bagong Bayani award alongside Benedicto. — Alona Cochon
Metropolis Japan
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metropolis Japan
Tokyo Streets Photography Exhibition Honors the Everyday
Photo credit: Elisa Eymery In an era defined by Instagram and digital imagery, the enduring charm and value of physical media are all too often overlooked. Adam Benedicto, the photographer and curator behind 'Tokyo Streets,' seeks to keep the art of exhibitions and printed photography alive. 'The concept of the show, in a way, is anti-digital photography,' Benedicto explains to me during our conversation. 'I want to get all of these photos that everyone has on their hard drive off of their hard drives, print them, and release them onto the walls. These days, it's so common to keep your photos on your phone, and I think that's maybe not the best way to view photography.' Credit: Young Hama Inspired by his father, who always seemed to have a camera in hand, Benedicto began shooting landscapes and nature at a young age. 'I grew up in a city, and I think that was a way for me to kind of escape the concrete jungle and enjoy being a part of nature,' he recalls. In his twenties, his creative focus shifted toward DJing. But eventually, he returned to photography with a new perspective: street photography. 'I kind of just stumbled upon it. Someone told me that they took photos as well, and when they told me they took street photos, I was like Sorry, what? You walk around the street and…where's the subject? It didn't compute because I had no concept of it. But once my eye was in, I was like Oh my god, how did I miss this? Tokyo is right on my doorstep. There are so many interesting things happening, so many people.' Not only are there endless things to photograph, but there are always endless ways to do so in street photography. 'Some people are like fishermen, waiting in one place for a subject to move through, or some people are like hunters, on the move and searching actively for something.' Benedicto opts for the latter strategy. Each time he lifts his camera, he almost always finds something that captures his interest—a quiet reward of the process. Tokyo, with its neon lights and winding backroads, is celebrated as a playground for photographers for a reason. Credit: Chokko Yamadaya Fully immersed in the world of street photography, Benedicto decided to bring together photographers of all backgrounds in Tokyo and celebrate their art. 'It's all about giving people a platform to show their work.' His understanding of the difficulty artists face in gaining recognition was a driving force behind curating 'Tokyo Streets.' Additionally, Benedicto is keen to ensure that photographers of all backgrounds have a chance to shine in this exhibition. 'I didn't want to make it an expat show—I wanted to make a show that was representative of Tokyo. I didn't want it to only be male photographers, either.' Driven by this conscious pursuit of diversity, he worked closely with Gallery Conceal curators and fellow photographers to find works and artists that would bring his vision to life. Credit: Elisa Eymery 'Tokyo Streets' has grown exponentially since its inception, with around 60 photographers featured in the Spring 2025 exhibition. 'Curating is all about vibe—do I feel any emotional content from the photo?' Benedicto explains. 'It might be a scene I've seen many times before, but has the artist captured it in a unique way?' From a hand holding a cigarette to schoolgirls chatting conspirationally, each photographer had a distinct and captivating lens through which they captured otherwise mundane scenes. I was particularly moved by the work of Elisa Eymery, who has a talent for capturing the dynamics between friends, acquaintances and even strangers in a way that brought them to life so vividly that I could almost hear laughter coming from each photo. Credit: Nehu Evans Regarding his own photography, Benedicto is primarily looking to tell a story. 'I think characters are the anchor of my work. I try to look for a twist somehow—show a scene not too directly. Sometimes I use a reflection or I try to shoot through something to make it look a little film-like.' This air of mystery was indeed a common thread among his works. Although he doesn't always shoot in black and white, he chose it as his theme for this show. The result: a cinematic, almost noir-like tone running through the photos—glimpses of lowered hats, blurred taxis and fragmented reflections hinting at a secret or mystery just beyond the frame. Credit: Adam Benedicto When asked about what he would like visitors to take away from a Tokyo Streets exhibition, Benedicto is clear: 'Inspiration.' 'You'll get to meet at least ten to twenty photographers on any given day, so I hope that gives people a push to actualize their photography. Even if you're not a photographer, I think it's inspiring to see the world through so many different artists' eyes. I want people to create something after coming.' And for those just passing through Tokyo, worry not: 'Tokyo Streets' is expanding under the name 'Global Streets.' Amsterdam has already hosted a show this year, and more are in the works. 'I would like to take this show around other cities as a concept of grassroots and established photographers coming together,' Benedicto says. What began as a way to get photos off the hard drive has become something much more: a creative network and a growing archive of life as it's really seen on the streets.
