Nerza, Donos win 36th MILO Marathon's Davao qualifying leg

DAVAO CITY (November 11, 2012)  - Anthony Nerza posted a personal best on his way to victory while former champion Floredilisa Donos proved she is still a force to reckon with in local foot race as they finished on top of their respective categories during the 36th MILO Marathon Davao qualifying leg on Sunday.

Nerza reached the finish line in one hour, 12 minutes and 30 seconds to win the men's 21k title and a spot int he Natonal Finals next month in Pasay City and in the process stopped defending champion Brian Lupio from posting a back-to-back win, organizers said in a press statement released to media organizations.

Lupio (1:13:54) was a far second while University of Mindanao’s James Castillo (1:14:21) came in third and salvaged a podium finish.

Nerza (left) and Donos showed their trophies after winning the
36th MILO Marathon qualifying races.

The 23-year-old Nerza also posted a personal best which shows his preparation and conditioning for the race participated by 14,000 runners.

“This year’s race allowed me to assess my limits in the sport regardless of my familiarity with the route and with the contenders. The level of competition today was definitely higher than the previous races, but I am expecting a more challenging bout from other regional winners in December,” said the Kapatagan, Digos native.

Donos reached the finish line all by her loneseome.

Meantime, Donos dominated the women's 21k race with a 1:26:52 clocking and was light years ahead of second placer Cellie Rose Jaro (1:35:28). Emely Avergonzado (1:37:32) completed the top three spots. 

 “Last year, I suffered an injury two weeks before the finale, and that kept me from claiming the title for the second time. Nevertheless, what matters most is one’s will to reach the finish line. I may not in my best shape now, but I will enter the finals with more drive than ever.” 

Nerza and Donos with several other qualifiers earned spots in the 36th MILO Marathon National Finals at the SM Mall of Asia Grounds in Pasay City on December 9, 2012.

For the school category awards, the Davao City National High School sent in 1,035 student runners to wrap the “Biggest School Delegation” plum, while University of Mindanao brought home the “Fastest School Delegation” award with an aggregate time of 19:59.22.

According to Robbie de Vera, MILO Sports Executive, today’s race not only proved that the region is home to exceptional athletic talent, but that the continued support of the local officials contribute greatly to the development of sports awareness in the Davao community.

“MILO aims to develop a tightly-knit sports community nationwide, and to bring forth more opportunities to engage the youth in sporting events for a brighter future,” said de Vera.

After the Davao leg, the qualifying race will shift to Butuan City on November 18 and Cagayan de Oro City on November 25, to wrap the last two regional legs of the season. The 36th MILO Marathon National Finals will be on December 9 at the SM Mall of Asia Grounds in Pasay City.

About the National MILO Marathon

The National MILO Marathon is an annual marathon event open to amateur and professional runners. From its humble beginnings in 1974 as a single marathon race in Metro Manila attended by 747 participants, the National MILO Marathon has grown to be the biggest, longest, grandest national running event in the country attracting more than hundreds of thousands of runners across the country. The race is organized by RunRio, Inc.