Cebuana Olympian Mary Joy Tabal said she would want to join the two races in South Korea while ironing out her training schedule in Tuscany, Italy.
Tabal gained slots to the 2018 Seoul Marathon and the 23rd Jeju International Tourism Marathon Festival for winning the 41st National Milo Marathon grand finals in Cebu last Dec. 3, 2017 and the 7-Eleven Run 2018 also in Cebu on Feb. 4, 2018.
Aside from the cash prizes she won in both local races, Tabal also won all-expense paid trips to compete in international marathons. Incidentally, the Milo and 7-Eleven races awarded free slots to South Korean marathons.
But the 28-year-old Tabal said she can’t tell which one she will really be joining until after she and her coaches finalize her training schedule in Italy, which is part of her preparation for the Asian Games in October in Jakarta, Indonesia.
“My top priority would be the first marathon in Korea (Seoul Marathon),” Tabal said of the prestigious race slated March 17.
A stint in the Seoul Marathon looks bright for Tabal since she is looking to start her Italy training in the second week of March. It’s the Jeju Marathon that poses a bit of a problem since it is set on May 27, which means she will be in the middle of her training in Italy.
This is why she will have to consult on her coaches John Philip Dueñas and Italian coach Giuseppe Giambrone. She said that she must get the approval of Dueñas, Giambrone and her corporate backer, Jonel Borromeo, who will be funding her training in Italy.
“I don’t want to skip Jeju Marathon. That’s why I am coordinating with my Italian coach and coach Dueñas if we can insert Jeju Marathon,” Tabal, a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, said. “Probably I will just join the 21k race to serve as a test run for me after I am done with first stage of my training in Italy.”
PSA major awardee
Tabal, who is set to receive a major award from the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) on February 27 at the Manila Hotel in Metro Manila for her outstanding performance last year, is also hoping that the 7-Eleven Run 2018 organizers will provide a roundtrip ticket from Italy to Korea and vice versa so that it would be easier for her to join.
The Barangay Guba, Cebu City native Tabal will be in Manila on Feb. 27 for the PSA Awards. At the same time, this is when she will be interviewed for her visa application for Italy.
Tabal said she is honored to be feted by the PSA for the second straight year.
“It’s very nice to be recognized by this award giving body along with other great athletes of our country,” she said.