Sotto, Tolentino top CDO elims of 36th MILO Marathon tilt

Jeffrey Sotto ends Arnold Unabia's winning
streak and bag the CDO crown of the
36th National MILO Marathon qualifying
Races.

Cagayan de Oro City (November 25, 2012) – The City of Golden Friendship saw intense competition as veteran runner Jeff Sotto renewed a staunch rivalry with four-time regional champion Arnold Unabia at the 36th MILO Marathon Cagayan de Oro race Sunday morning.

Three-time MILO Marathon King Cresenciano Sabal also graced the 21-k tracks to wrap the top 3 cast of the men’s division race. The rivals treated spectators to a thrilling showdown of agility as they fought to win the last qualifying leg of the season.

Last year’s CDO second placer Sotto reached the clock at a commendable 1:13:10, barely beating Unabia (1:13:41) and Sabal (1:13:55).

Sotto expressed that today’s victory is a forecast of what awaits him in the future, as he hopes to spark his own winning streak in both regional and national races.

"Today's victory was definitely refreshing, but beating Unabia is just the beginning. Running alongside the country’s best Filipino and foreign athletes in the finals will be a daunting feat, but I am eager to prove myself in that track," said the Iligan City Roadrunner.

Aileen Tolentino and Jeffrey Sotto edged out
determined contenders to prevail  in  the last
qualifying leg of the 36th National MILO Marathon.

The women's division also saw a heated race unfold as Aileen Tolentino dominated the 21-k track at 1:30:39 ahead of Michelle Ann Sampang (1:31:16) and last year’s regional champion Cresabel Cadion (1:35:45).

Tolentino said she is determined to shift the ranks to her favor when she takes on tracksters Jho-An Banayag and Mary Grace Delos Santos in December.

"The amount of pressure leading to the finale is building up. I have about two weeks to improve my pace and get in shape for the big race," said Tolentino, who has been running for two decades.

"Beating my best time of 3:06 for the 42-K distance at the finals will require more training, but I'm ready to go head to head with veterans in the sport."

The school category awards unwrapped with Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive National High School earning double wins in the Biggest Delegation and Fastest Delegation awards. MOGCHS posted a total of 1177 finishers and an aggregate time of 23:50.45 besting other participating schools.

Both Sotto and Tolentino took home the P 10,000.00 top purse and led several other qualifiers into the 36th MILO Marathon National Finals on December 9 at the SM Mall of Asia Grounds in Pasay City.

With over 10,000 runners at the CDO leg alone, organizers said they are on the right track to hitting the 200,000 collective target of runners for this year’s campaign.

Through its advocacy program called ‘Help Give Shoes’, which is now on its third year, MILO donated a total of 500 shoes to public schools in the region as an ongoing commitment to develop future elite runners.

Students of Bulua Central School, Bayabas Elementary School, Agusan National High School, City Central School and Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School were among the campaign’s local beneficiaries. Since the campaign’s conception, MILO has given over 22,700 shoes to underprivileged children nationwide.

With the regional titleholders preparing for the upcoming National Finals, MILO and race organizer Runrio Inc. expect an action filled culmination to this year's races.

"This year's MILO Marathon launched the most competitive roster of athletes for the final heat. Each region highlighted thrilling rivalries and showcased inspiring athletic prowess. We are very excited to see who will cut above the rest and conquer the long-distance marathon title," said MILO Sports Executive Andrew Neri.

"The athletic community is growing as more Filipinos are becoming aware of the value of the sport. While our marathon runners are getting ready for the race in December, groundwork for another year of quality matches is already underway. Creating a high-level footrace is only one of our many efforts to maintain a healthy sports environment and produce more champions," added Neri.

The 36th MILO Marathon is made possible by Timex, the Bayview Park Hotel Manila, SM Mall of Asia and Reebok, along with partnerships with the Department of Education and the Philippine Olympic Committee. For more information on the race and its advocacy, visit the MILO marathon website or access the MILO Philippines fanpage on Facebook. Follow MILO on Twitter (@MILOPH).