More than 20,000 runners are expected in Sunday’s National Finals of the 41st Milo Marathon but all eyes will be on Cebuana running phenom Mary Joy Tabal, who will be gunning for an unprecedented fifth straight women’s crown in the centerpiece 42-kilometer race.
CDN FILE
Tabal eyes first ever 5-peat in Nat’l Milo Marathon history
Cebu City’s major streets will be flooded in green on Sunday as more than 20,000 runners from all ages and walks of life compete in the city’s first hosting of the National Milo Marathon Grand Finals starting in front of the Cebu Normal University (CNU) along Osmeña Boulevard.
For the first time, the Queen City of the South hosts the much-awaited finale featuring the country’s top and elite marathoners in the 41st edition of the country’s longest-running footrace.
Mary Joy Tabal, the Cebuana four-time champion, will gun for a first-ever fifth straight crown as she leads the Cebuano challenge. Out to deny her bid for history are the top finishers in the 16 qualifying legs spread all over the country.
“My usual last minute preparations is to have a proper carbo-loading, enough hours of sleep, and a lot rest. I think it won’t be an easy race for those who will compete in the 42k but for those who only run for fun and enjoyment maybe they will finish it easily,” said the 28-year-old Tabal.
“For me however, it’s going to be very challenging, so I am hoping and praying not just for my safety but for everyone who is going to race on Sunday,” added the 2016 Rio Olympics runner.
Former Milo Marathon queen Cristabel Martes will be competing against Tabal in the women’s division along with other race favorites Ruffa Sorongon, Lizane Abella and Sandra Sollano.
In the men’s side, Milo Marathon King Jeson Agravante will face stiff competition from former Milo Marathon champions Eduardo “Vertek” Buenavista and Eric Panique.
The fastest finishers in the 42K race Filipino category will receive P150,000 each. If ever they top the open category which will be joined by foreign marathoners, they will get an extra P300,000 and an additional P50,000 if they break the Milo record.
So far, Tabal has done this feat when she logged her four-peat win in last year’s grand finals in Ilo-ilo City.
Meanwhile, Milo Marathon national organizer Ricky Ballesteros said that they are expecting more than 20,000 runners to join Sunday’s race but he still can’t give the exact number of participants since registration was still going on as of this writing.
The gun start for participants of the 42K run is 3 a.m., the 21K run at 4:30 a.m., the 10K run at 5 a.m., the 3K run at 5:30 a.m. and the 5K run at 5:35 a.m.
The race will end at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Roads covered by the official route of the 42k will be half-closed from 2 a.m to 9 a.m.
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