Outrunning Rene Herrera

London Olumpian Rene Herrera (third from right) sharing the stage with
fellow Kenyan podium finishers. 

As expected the Kenyans dominated the premiere events of the 2012 Rexona Run held a month after it was postponed due to the monsoon rains last Sunday at the Mall of Asia in Pasay.

What I was not expecting was Olympian Rene Herrera walking up the stage to share the limelight with the Kenyan winners.


It was the first time I saw Rene after his not-so-inspiring London Olympic feat.

He failed to advance to the finals of the 5,000 meter event. But more than his failed Olympic debut, it was his attitude to better himself and pursue greater feats that made me a Rene Herrera fans.

According to Wikipedia, the 33-year-old Rene was able to represent the Philippine in the London Olympics after posting a silver medal finish at Hong Kong Intercity Athletics Championships to become the oldest Filipino athlete competing in the Olympics.

But do you know that Herrera was a steeple chase specialist and not a short-distance runner?

Actually, Herrera is a five-time Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) steeple chase gold medalist, the last medal of which he won during the 2011 edition of the regional sports competitions held in Palembang, Indoensia.

Rene represented the Philippines in Asian Games and placed sixth during the Doha Asiad in 2006 and eight when the competitions were held in Kobe, Japan in 2011.

He was competing in steeple chase until that year before competing in the 5,000 meter competition in Hongkong that won him a spot in the London Olympics.

And do you know that even before becoming a steeple chase athlete, Rene was a boxer. He posted 20 fights with five losses.

It was his entry to the annual MILO marathon competitions that changed everything and everything is now history.

I cannot imagine how Rene did that.

But one thing is sure, the son of a janitor from Jordan, Guimaras has outrun himself.

Below are the winners of the Rexona Run 2012:

5K FEMALE

1^st place: Jessa Mangsat (BIB 3435) TIME: 0:19:55

2^nd place: Lovely Gemeroy (BIB 2019) TIME: 0:20:38

3^rd place: Annaleah Cierva (BIB 1786) TIME 0:24:48

5K MALE

1^st place: Willie Rotich (BIB 534) TIME: 0:14:55

2^nd place: Philip Ronoh (BIB 235) TIME: 0:15:14

3^rd place: Rene Herrera (BIB 1780) TIME 0:15:25

21K SOLO FEMALE

1^st place: Jackline Nzino (BIB 5357) TIME: 1:24:25

2^nd place: Mary Grace Delos Santos (BIB 6770) TIME: 1:24:37

3^rd place: Nhea Ann Barcena (BIB 4014) TIME: 1:32:00

21K SOLO MALE

1^st place: Jackson Chirchir (BIB 6850) TIME: 1:09:25

2^nd place: Musa Bett (BIB 5354)TIME: 1:09:39

3^rd place: Benjamin Kipkazi (BIB 6460) TIME: 1:11:25

21K RELAY ALL FEMALE

1^st place: Flordeliza Donos & Jho-ann Banayag  TIME: 1:25:23

2^nd place: Cristabel Martes & Jolly Ann Ballester TIME: 1:28:35

3^rd place: Victorina Carmen &Dalyn Carmen TIME: 1:33:22

21K RELAY ALL MALE

1^st place: Rafael Poliquit Jr. & Richard Salano TIME: 1:10:21

2^nd place: Samuel Tarus & Julius Kipkalam TIME: 1:11:35

3^rd place: Raquin Irinio & Michael Villamor TIME: 1:12:15

21K RELAY MIXED

1^st place: Lowemar Strella & Michelle Tibagacay TIME: 1:26:23

2^nd place: Merlyn Lumagbas & Ryan Maranan TIME: 1:33:22

3^rd place: Magic Lazo &Miguel Lazo TIME: 1:39:52