Cebu’s running queen Mary Joy Tabal earned a slot to the Philippine Team that will compete in the upcoming 28th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Singapore this June.
Joining Tabal in the country’s women’s athletics team will be Mary Grace delos Santos, Marestella Torres, Rosie Villarito, Evalyn Palabrica, Princess Joy Griffey, Riezel Buenaventura, Narcisa Atienza, Kayla Anise Richardson and Katherine Khay Santos.
Tabal is considered the fastest marathoner in the National Milo Marathon after she broke the 2002 42-kilometer record of Jho-an Banayag (2:48.16) with a time of 2:48.00.
But because of her inclusion in the Philippine Team, Tabal is not allowed to join running events in the country. Her trainer John Philip Dueñas said the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association prohibits its athletes from joining fun runs prior to the SEAG so they can focus on their training.
Tabal last competed in a local foot race in Cebu last February, where she topped the 21k race of the 5th SM2SM Run.
Tabal is also coming from a 12th-place finish in the non-competitive division of the prestigious Los Angeles Marathon in the USA.