Delos Santos win big in 35th MILO Marathon National Finals

Delos Santos, the 2011 MILO marathon queen

Taking her failure to represent the country in the last Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) as a challenge, Mary Grace Delos Santos continued her preparation in Baguio City and on Sunday reaped the dividends of her hard work by winning the 42K title of the 35th MILO Marathon National Finals which started and ended inside the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

“Masama talaga ang loob ko nung hindi ako nakasama sa national pool. Gusto ko talagang tumakbo para sa bansa,” said Delos Santos, a 24-year-old lass from Zamboanga after bagging her first national title in the yearly footrace.

35th MILO Marathon national finals kicks off Sunday

MANILA - Four hundred sixty of the Philippines’ top runners including their highly competitive foreign counterparts will vie for the prestigious championship title and the top purse of P 300,000 in the much-anticipated 35th National MILO Marathon Finals at the SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City on December 11.

Four hundred and ten (410) men and 50 women passed the age group qualifying time in the 42.195k and 21k elimination legs staged throughout 17 major cities in the country, including oldest 21k qualifiers and both Cebu natives, 76-year-old Rening Ylaya and 56-year-old Shiela Colmenares.

Kenyans rule 3rd QCIM

For the third year in a row, Kenyan runners romped off with the top prizes in the Quezon City International Marathon which held its third edition last Sunday.

Cosmers Kembei and Pamela Chipkoge, both from Eldoret town in the western part of Kenya, ruled the centerpiece 42K event to pocket P75,000 each in the race that started and ended outside the Quezon City Hall along Elliptical Road.

The 25-year-old Kembei outsprinted compatriot Andrew Melly in the last 200 meters to win in two hours, 29 minutes and 44 seconds.  Melly checked in four seconds after to finish second while another Kenyan, John Kiprop (2:33.04), was third.