Tabal off to hot start, rules Sinulog Fun Run

Runners wearing different costumes highlight the 2016 Sinulog Fun Run at the Cebu City Sports Complex. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)

The country’s Marathon Queen Mary Joy Tabal started 2016 with an easy win, topping the 2016 Sinulog Fun Run yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center

Tabal, who had a successful 2015 wherein she won a silver medal in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore and also bagged her third straight crown in the prestigious National Milo Marathon, finished the five-kilometer race in 18 minutes and 21.58 seconds to emerge victorious.

Up-and-coming runner Ruffa Sorongon settled for second place with a time of 19:11.58 while junior trackster Mary Joy Loberanis of the University of San Carlos-Basic Education (USC-BED) rounded off the top three in the female division with a time of 19:49.09.

KENYAN DOMINATES MEN’S RACE

In the men’s side, Kenyans dominated the race with Eric Kibiote Chepsiror finishing on top with a time of 15:25.08.

Fellow Kenyans Abraham Kilimo and Joseph Mururi took the next two places. Kilimo finished second, clocking 15:26.02 while Mururi completed the top three finishers with a time of 15:49.01.

Mary Joy Tabal cruises towards the finish line at the Cebu City Sports Complex. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)

The rest of the top 10 finishers in the female division were Cherry Andrin (20:20), Lovely Fe Andrin (21:10), Keisha Mae Delechos (21:31), Geniecel Saballa (22:29), Sara Lee Cuizon (22:39), Michelle Ann Beboso (23:33) and Mary Joy Castor (23:47).

The fourth to 10th placers in the male division were Prince Joey Lee (16:07), Michael Largo (16:39), Arnel Florentino (16:50), Bonifacio Monjas (16:59), Rafael Pescos (17:05), Chobie Dueñas (17:06) and Francis Kakui (17:13.).

The runners who wore the best Sinulog Costumes were Melina Ignacio and Justine Bayking while perennial Sinulog Festival champions, Lumad Basakanon bagged the best in costume-group award category.

According to Sinulog Foundation Inc. chief Ricky Ballesteros, the weather was perfect for the race yesterday, which was attended by around 800 runners. Last year, bad weather and torrential rains disrupted the footrace.

Ballesteros also said that unlike in previous editions of the race, usually held every Dec. 30, yesterday’s footrace was held on the first Sunday of the year.