Kenyan, Cebuana top MILO's Tagbilaran City elims

Kenyan Willy Rotich and Cebuana Christy Tutor topped the challenging Tagbilaran City eliminations of the 35th MILO Maralon recently, according to a press statement released by the organizers.

The 20-year-old Rotich established himself midway en route to an easy win in the men's category with a time of one hour, 10 minutes and 22 seconds. Albert Umbagar (1:12:28) settled for second while Cebuano running champ Mendel Lopez (1:13:57) salvaged a podium finish.

"The uphill-downhill course was challenging but overall the race was good. My competitors were very aggressive at the start, but I exerted myself and maintained the lead from the 10k and finished alone at the end," said Kenyan runner Rotich, last year’s National MILO Marathon finals 13th placer.

Completing the male 21k top 10 were Jobert Carolino (1:14:35), John Philip Duenas (1:15:06), Ian Bernido (1:16:31), Jess Gonzaga (1:16:49), Rafael Tejada (1:20:58), Rolesper Marte (1:21:39), and Jemarvin Cabilan (1:21:57).

It was a close battle between Cebuana runners Tutor and Michelle Gilbuena, both from Bantayan Island.

“I was initially intimidated by Gilbuena, who placed third in the competitive Cam Sur Marathon and had lots of training in Baguio city, whereas I just do training on my own, juggling training with housework and taking care of the kids.”

“I maintained my pace some six kilometers into the race. Then I did a fireclick--I stayed beside my closest pursuer and darted 100 meters to gain the lead. I did this everytime Michelle got close to me and thankfully it worked as I finished 10 meters ahead of her," shared Tutor, a second placer in the National Finals in 2004.

Tutor

Bagging third place was Lalaine Patricio (1:43:48) followed by Niecel Espenosa (1:49:01), Helen Palma (1:51:41), Merry Jean Berdos (1:52:46), Teodelyn Calabroso (1:53:10), Geraldine Bartolata (2:05:59),  Rosario Naomi Fajardo (2:16:21) and Emmylou Fuertes (2:17:35).

Some 25 runners out of 4,848 participants who answered the starting gun early in the morning passed the age group qualifier for the National Finals at the SM Mall of Asia.

They will join the country’s elite long distance runners and several foreigners in the National Finals this December. Among those who gained spots in the Finals were Jujet de Asis, Luisa Raterta, Jho-Ann Banayag, James Tallam, Genet Agtew and Mikael Tesfaye.

Another 500 pairs of shoes were donated to local public schools, Eastern Cogon Elementary School, Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School, Tagbilaran City Science High School, Cogon Elemntary School and Dampas Elementary School as part of the National MILO Marathon’s Help Give Shoes advocacy. The prestigious running event seeks to donate 10,000 pairs to public school children nationwide.

From Tagbilaran City, the 17-leg eliminations will journey to its Mindanao leg starting with Cagayan De Oro on Oct 16 followed by Butuan City (Oct 23), General Santos (Oct 30) and Davao City (Nov. 6) with the Manila Finals slated on December 11