CEBU CITY, Philippines — Palarong Pambansa 2024 double-gold medalist and elite varsity runner Asia Paraase delivered a standout performance in her international debut, ruling the women’s open 21-kilometer race of the Alliance Bank–Borneo International Marathon 2026 held last Sunday, May 10, in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
Paraase, the pride of Lapu-Lapu City and a member of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers track and field team, crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 28 minutes, and 35 seconds. She edged fellow Filipina Jamine Cruz, who placed second with 1:29:33, while Singapore’s Amber Jia Qi Chew completed the podium in third place.
The Cebuana runner was part of an elite contingent of long-distance athletes under Team 7-Eleven Philippines, composed of qualifiers from nationwide races held last year.
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Fellow Cebuana and multi-titled marathoner Lizane Abella also brought pride to the country, topping the women’s 42K full marathon with a time of 3:16:26. Filipinas Jennylyn Nobleza (3:16:33) and Maricar Camacho (3:17:24) finished second and third, respectively, completing a Filipino sweep of the podium.
For Paraase, the experience marked both a challenge and a milestone as she finally fulfilled her dream of representing the Philippines on the international stage.
“Challenging kaayo siya for me as a first timer mag-international kay grabe ang abot sa akong kalipay ug kakulba, kay nakab-ot na gyud nako akong pangandoy nga makaduwa sa international ug maka-represent sa Philippines,” Paraase said.
(It was very challenging for me as a first-timer competing internationally because I felt overwhelming happiness and nervousness, since I finally achieved my dream of competing internationally and representing the Philippines.)
She also described the difficulty of navigating an unfamiliar course in Sabah, noting that tight corners and limited marshals made pacing and direction tricky.
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“Daghan kaayo’g mga eskinita maong maglibog ka, unya gamay ra pud sila’g marshal maong need gyud nga magtan-aw ka sa route nga gi-post para at least dili ka masalaag. Ang last nga naka-challenge pa gyud kay ang climate didto, same ra sa Philippines pero ang hangin medyo bug-at, so naka-challenge gyud siya. Pero overall, nindot ug lingaw kaayo ang experience,” she added.
(There were so many narrow streets that could easily confuse you, and there were only a few marshals, so you really needed to check the posted route to avoid getting lost. Another challenge was the climate there. It’s similar to the Philippines, but the air felt heavier, which made it more challenging. But overall, the experience was great and very enjoyable.)
In the men’s 42K race, Filipino runner Edsel Moral topped the field in 2:38:02, followed closely by compatriot Dikyias Mendioro (2:39:41) and Japan’s Shinji Watanabe (2:41:18).