Panique rules Run United 2

Eric Panique (center) during the awarding of the Run United 2  contest last Aug. 21 at the  Global City in Taguig.

"This one goes to my family."

This was probably what Eric Panique was thinking after winning the Run United 2 that started and ended inside the Global City in Taguig last Aug. 21.

"May maipapadala na uli ako sa probinisya," said Panique after winning the men's 21k event and pocketing the P20,000 cash prize.

Panique is one of the athletes currently making waves in the local scene who traces their roots to Himaymalan City in Negros Occidental.

The 26-year-old runner like Julius Sermona, Ryan Hullez and Ian Clark Bautista are all from the small city which produced some of the country's promising long-distance runners.

And Panique best exemplifies the kind of athlete that city produces.

Panique topped the men's relay competition of the CamSur's Ironman exactly a week ago together with hristopher Allison and Johansen Agular.. Prior to that he placed second in the Manila eliminations of the 35th Milo Marathon.

The Kenyans, who like Panique are making a living as runners in what local organizes can offer in this third-world country, failed to compete in the premiere category and showed what they can do in the 10K event.

"Naubusan sila ng entry. Ang dami kasi talagang sumali," said a member of the organizing team.

In the absence of the Kenyans, local stars Mary Grace Delos Santos (1:25:51), Nhea Ann Barcena (1:34:10) and Marecil Maquilan (1:37:45) posted a 1-2-3 finish in the women’s 21-k event.

But the Kenyans showed why some of the Filipino runners are detesting their continued presence in local running events as they dominated the men's and women's 10K races.

Benjamin Kipkazi spearhead his compatriots domination in the men's category as he submitted a gun time of 33 minutes and 25 second followed by James Tallam (33:25) and  Albert Omboga (33:42).

Another Kenyan, Susan Jemutai (41:36) topped the  women’s 10K race and relegated Cinderela Lorenzo  (43:42) and  Michelle Anne Tibagacay (44:28) to second and third spots, respectively.

It was the same in the men’s 5K run with Kenyans Stanley Ting (16:01) and Willy Rotich (16:08) bagging the top two honors with  local veteran runner Rafael Poliquit Jr. (16:29) salvaging a third place finish.

In the women’s 5K event, Janette Lumidao  (20:37), Mary Ann Dela Cruz (22:15) and Merlyn Lumagbas (22:43) completed the top-three spots.

Meantime,  Michael Bacong  (10:05) ruled the men’s 3K contest followed by Roger Denolo  (10:10) and Carlito Fantilaga (10:17). In the distaff side, Mars De Vera (12:43), Mary Grace Dela Torre (12:48) and Adjennie Rose De Los Santos (13:41) finished at the top of the category.

Here are other pictures that told the story of Sunday's event.

Podium finishers waiting for their turn to receive their medals, cash  and gift cheques.