Dream come true for Spectrum runners vying in Bataan 102km
Three long-distance runners of the Spectrum Runners Club of Cebu will take part in the grueling Bataan Death March (BDM) 102-kilometer ultramarathon today in Bataan, Central Luzon.
The race will follow the actual route of the infamous “Bataan Death March,” where around 80,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war were forced to march for weeks by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II in April 1942.
The three runners from Spectrum are of multi-titled ultramarathoners Preciosa Sanchez, Desiderio Engbino, and Edilberto Batiancila.
“This is a dream come true for all of them,” said Spectrum Runners Club President Dr. Gerry Mayo. “This was a plan that had been brewing for a long time already. But unfortunately, it never materialized due to unforeseen circumstances. Now, finally, it’s time. Its time to finally give them a chance to participate in their long-cherished dream.”
Spectrum initially listed four runners that included Bayani Alvarez, according to Mayo. However, the veteran ultramarathoner decided to skip the run at the last minute to attend to personal matters.
The Bataan Death March is considered as the “Holy Grail” or the most coveted ultramarathon event in the country. It is also difficult to register for this grueling run since the slots are limited.
The 48-year-old Sanchez is one of the top female ultramarathoners in Cebu for the past years, winning some of the biggest ultramarathons like 105-kilometer run of the 2017 TransCebu Ultra Marathon last July, the All Women’s Ultramarathon (AWUM) and the 2016 Inaugural Trans Cebu Night Marathon.
Engbino, 47, a Boholano who is based in Cebu earned his popularity in the long distance running scene when he won a grand slam in the three-leg series of the 160km Leyte Island Ultramarathon 2017. The 45-year old Batiancila joined Engbino on the winning side in the same race when he topped the 100k category.
The three are sponsored by the Santo Niño Dialysis Center, Mayo Kidney Care Clinic, and Melanie Froggy.
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