Led by champion Izane Abella (center), top finishers in yesterday’s 6th All Women’s Ultra Marathon receive their plaques and medals during the awarding ceremony at Il Corso grounds at the South Road Properties, Cebu City.
CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO
No training, no problem.
Izane Abella emerged as the new champion in the 6th All Women’s Ultra Marathon (AWUM) and did it in a remarkable fashion as she set a new record in dominating the lung-busting 50-kilometer race.
The race started on Saturday night and ended early morning yesterday at Il Corso grounds at the South Road Properties, Cebu City.
It was Abella’s first time to compete in the race and made immediate impact by ending the race in four hours and 32.93 seconds and shattered the 2014 record of Dumaguete City’s Mereeis Ramirez at 4:38.
Abella said she was surprised to finish the race first as she failed to train while recovering from a right leg injury.
“I am very surprised that I won the title because I am still recovering from my injury and I did not train for this run,” said Abella. “Prior to this run, I suffered an injury in my right leg so I did not train for this. I just want to enjoy the experience as a first-timer in AWUM, but I was totally surprised when I learned in the middle of the run that I am leading so I maintained my pace all the way to the finish line.”
A member of the Spectrum Runners Club, Abella already displayed flashes of brilliance last year when she placed third in the 40th National Milo Marathon Finals in Iloilo City behind champion Mary Joy Tabal and second placer Cristabel Martes.
Abella, a native of Minglanilla town, southern Cebu, said she expected her teammates and former champions Sandra Soliano and Preciosa Sanchez to battle for the crown.
But Soliano, the event’s 2015 champion, could only muster a second place with a time of 4:44.12 while Sanchez, last year’s champion, ranked third at 4:59.01.
“It’s an honor to be the champion of this prestigious ultra marathon. It’s a big blessing to be crowned as the top placer,” added Abella.
Triathlete Jun Marq Ocaña placed fourth at 5:05.49 followed by Cagayan de Oro’s Jennifer Red Sabela (5:07.37). Paksit Runner’s Rona Lacanlale (5:15.16) finished sixth place followed by Mari Marivic (5:17.04) and Wilma Theresa Lugay (5:17.30).
Janice Gabales (5:18.26)of Cagayan de Oro and Rhoda Oporto (5:18.31) completed the top 10.
A total of 300 runners joined the event organized by Think Tank. The event was in line with the celebration of the Women’s Month.