Mary Joy Tabal, the country’s touted Marathon Queen, will still compete in a qualifying leg for the Milo Marathon National Finals in General Santos City despite a standing order from the Patafa. The Cebu qualifying will blast off this Sunday.
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Despite a standing order from the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa), not to compete in races no recommended by the body, Philippine marathon queen, Mary Joy Tabal said she will still run in one of the qualifying legs of the 39th National Milo Marathon.
However, the Cebuana running sensation, who won silver in last June’s Southeast Asian Games marathon, won’t race in this Sunday’s Cebu leg as she and trainer John Philip Dueñas decided to compete in the General Santos City leg on Oct. 18 instead.
According to Tabal, the Patafa barred her from competing in the Milo marathon where she started to make a name. But the Cebuana, who was recruited to the Philippine team earlier this year, said that she has already been training for the Milo race.
Tabal said she will still compete in the qualifying leg despite given an automatic slot to the national finals in Angeles, Pampanga on Dec. 6 as the race’s reigning back to back national champion.
As part of her prize as back-to-back champion, Tabal was sent to compete in the Paris International Marathon and the Los Angeles Marathon.
The petite runner revealed that she is fully focused in her training for the national finals this December. “Sa karon focus rajud ko sa training sa national finals,” said Tabal. “Nag training mi for the finals pero amo pud plan mo try ug run sa 21k.”
Tabal said Dueñas may opt out of Sunday’s race because he has tonsillitis and needs to rest it out to recover. “Nagpa register si coach Philip (Dueñas) pero naa siya tonsillitis so mura jud ug adto na jud mi maka duwa sa General Santos,” added Tabal.
Around 20,000 runners will swarm Cebu City’s major thoroughfares this Sunday for the 39th Milo Marathon Cebu Leg.
Tabal said that she will be there during the race to cheer for her fellow runners. The Cebu leg starts and ends at the Cebu City Sports Center.