He signed up late but finished the race first.
Andrew Whett, a 43-year-old New Zealand national, was crowned champion in the grueling 50-kilometer race Olango My Getaway II, which started Saturday night and ended yesterday morning in barangay Talima, Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City.
Race director Tony Galon of the Cebu Ultrarunners Club said Whett is the first foreign runner to win the race.
Galon said Whett was a late enlistee. He is one of the 33 out of the 37 participants who were able to finish the race.
Whett, an English teacher in Thailand, took the lead in the second loop and never looked back. He finished the race in five hours, one minute and 20 seconds.
Trailing Whett was Francis Brent Contanillas, who reached the finish line in 5:37.25. Mark Modesto completed the top three in the male division with a time of 6:54.35.
The distaff side was ruled by Arlen Pepito, who clocked 6:26:15.
Pepito was actually the third fastest in the overall ranking.
Maria Izza Zerinna Mahinay came in second with 8:07.06 followed by Emmylou Tapolado, who logged 8:14.02.
Fourth to 10th placers in the male division were Ian Santos (7:08.24),Argy Bermejo (7:24.24), Neil Caintic (7:24.28), Diosdado Cortejos (7:39.51), Jude Seares (8:11.51), Danilo Larona (8:11.53) and Philip Delejencia (8:14.06).
The rest of the female finishers included Trilbee Lizan Espina (8:23.36), Irene Oliveros (9:00.01), Myrrha Castillo (9:12.39) and Grace Isanor Larona (10:27.14).