Raterta rules Batangas MILO eliminations

Raterta (left) and Kering show their trophies for posterity.

BATANGAS City, August 21, 2011--Kenyan Eliud Kering and veteran Luisa Raterte displayed their deadly form on Sunday to rule the Batangas leg of the 35th National Milo Marathon here, according to a press release from the organizers on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Raterta of Sta. Rosa, Laguna finshed the 21-km. race in 1:31:42, while the 25—year-old journeyman Kering timed 1: 12:56 to lead a cast of 18 other runners who qualified to the National Finals on Dec. 11 at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Despite the absence of strong rivals, Raterta found the flat and uphill route as a big challenge to maintain her speed from the onset and lead by almost 11 minutes over closest pursuer Ellen Tolentino, who clocked 1:42:07.  Maureen Anne Cruzada was a distant third with a time of 1:52:37,while Era May Ong was fourth with 2:11:15 and Eizza Johann Ocado settled for fifth in 2:11:15.

“I was expecting a flat route but I was surprised that the course was uphill. It was a challenge of stamina and endurance for me at the start of the race, but it was a breeze going back downhill after the turnaround,” said Raterta, a running coach and winner of the National MILO Marathon 2010 Manila eliminations.

“My main competitor is time, not the other female runners. I wanted to make sure I get into the 1:35:00 age group qualifier for the finals.”

It was a vengeful win by Raterta, who failed to join last year’s National Finals due to injury from over training. “This year, my goal is to move up the ladder and be number one. I’m preparing two months prior to the finals to focus solely on training,” she stressed.

It’s a double victory in the Milo Marathon for Raterta as the runner and mother of 3 shares the spotlight with her 9 year old daughter, Leonalyn. The younger Raterta braved the icy rains and wind and topped the competitive 3k race in the recent National MILO Marathon Manila elims with a 0:12:22 finish. “I’m very proud of my daughter’s achievements and I am very happy that we share the same passion in the sport.”

On the men’s side, Kering of Rift Valley, Nandi district, who just arrived in the country last May, led a 1-2 finish by the Kenyan runners following Douglas Mwiti’s time of 1:13:40 to finish second. Dandelon Bumahit was third with a time of 1:21:35, while Angelo Lasibal clocked 1:24:52 for fourth and Alvin Canada at the fifth spot with 1:26:27.

 A total of  6,729 runners participated in the different race categories, which showed the continued rise and popularity of running in this southern part of the island. Five hundred Batangueno students and beneficiaries of the race’s “Help Give Shoes” advocacy also hit the track with their new running shoes.

Both Raterta and Kering will join other leg winners including Mercy Taypoc and Reynaldo Pascua of Ilocos, Hernani Sore and Jessa Mangsat of Dagupan, Robeno Javier of Olongapo and Jujet de Asis, Geraldine Sealza of Tarlac in the Finals, to vie for the Php 300,000 top pot for the  men women’s champion won by Eduardo Buenavista and Flordeliza Donos last year.
From Batangas, the 17-leg race will shift to Puerto Princesa  Ciy in Palawan on August 28, Naga  on Sept 4 and San Pablo on Sept 11. Then the Milo Marathon heads to Ilo-Ilo (Sept 18), Bacolod (Sept. 25), Cebu City (Oct 2), Tagbilaran (Oct 9), Cagayan De Oro (Oct 16), Butuan (Oct 23), General Santos (Oct 30), Davao (Nov 6) with Manila Finals slated on December 11.

The 35th National MILO Marathon heightens its commitment of building champions in sports and in life by continuing its advocacy of providing running shoes to underprivileged children. Last year, atotal of 4,200 pairs were donated to public school children nationwide. This season, in line with Nestle’s celebration of 100 years, the advocacy aims to give 100 pairs of shoes to 100 students from 100 schools nationwide—a total of 10,000 more shoes donated.