Cebu City Half Marathon – Delos Santos and Tabal begin 2013 with Personal Bests over Half Marathon

(Jan 18) Mary Grace Delos Santos continued her superb seasonal form at the Cebu Marathon with a second place to Kenyan Jackline Nziza who won in a time of 1:18.28 over 21 km. Delos Santos the Milo Marathon champion clocked a personal best of 1:20.28. Improving on the season lead she established last year in the Half Marathon timing 1:24.14. Also on the move was Cebu local Mary Joy Tabal the fourth place finisher at the Milo Marathon improved her personal best from 1:25.29 to 1:21.44 to secure third place.

Delos Santos, Nziza and Tabby

Full Results are available herehttp://www.cebumarathon.com/

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Delos Santos, Buenavista Qualify for Asian Marathon

(Jan 15) Pinoyathletics would like to congratulate Eduardo Buenavista and Mary Grace Delos Santos for qualifying for the 14th Asian Marathon on March 10 in Nomi City Japan.

Buenavista top marathon man 2012

35 year old Buenavista is a veteran of the sport having finished 67th in the 2004 Olympic Games and currently holds the national record in 5k,10k and the Marathon his best being 2h18.44 set in Oita, Japan in 2004.

‘Vertek’ as he is known by his friends is the SEA Games 2003 5km, 2005 10km and 2009 Marathon Gold Medalist. He also had a bronze medal at the 2003 Asian Championships held in Manila. Vertek was the fastest Filipino at the recent Milo Marathon but finished fourth place in 2h29.45.

Mary Grace Delos Santos

Delos Santos who originally hails from Zamboanga and is coached by former SEA Games athlete turned coach Roy Vence. The 25 year old is an upcoming athlete who is continuing a strong legacy of Womens Marathon. Her performance of 2h49.29 was just under a minute from the sea games bronze medal standard of 2h48.83.

She defended her title at the Milo Marathon in what was the third fastest time ever by a Filipina. Christabel Martes the 2001 and 2005 SEA Games Champion holds the Filipino Record with 2h38.44. While Jhoann Banayag who was the 2009 SEA Games Champion is #2 of all time. In the recent Milo Marathon Delos Santos finished in front of the two veterans. In doing so she booked her first flight to a major international tournament. Hopefully Mary Grace can qualify for the SEA Games at this meet and pave the way for another SEA Games Gold.

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New York Marathon Cancelled

Most agreed it was a good idea to cancel it

(Nov 9) NEW YORK—Organizers, police and even athletes called Friday’s cancelation of the New York Marathon the correct decision in the wake of the devastation caused by killer superstorm Sandy.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg axed what would have been the 43rd annual race after complaints over the timing and the notion of staging the event on Sunday while many people in the area remain without electricity or shelter.

“The best thing for New York and the best thing for the marathon for the future is unfortunately to move on. This isn’t the year or the time to run it,” said Mary Wittenberg, president of the organizing group, the New York Road Runners.

“It’s crushing and it’s really difficult. It’s one of the toughest decisions we ever made, but we really believe it’s the right thing for New York.”

Read more Here

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. AP FILE PHOTO

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Due to typhoon Sandy which ravaged the East Coast of the United Sates. The Annual New York Marathon was initially expected to go on.

(From Daily Inquirer)

NEW YORK — New York City’s mayor defended the running of the world’s largest marathon Sunday in a city still searching for bodies from Superstorm Sandy and struggling for basic necessities like power, while some storm victims and other residents said holding the race would be insensitive and divert resources like exhausted police.

The marathon was expected to draw about 20,000 international runners — close to half of participants — who continued to arrive Friday in a city where hotels already held many storm refugees. They crowded the marathon expo, which was criticized after the heavy metal song “Rock You Like a Hurricane” was among the background music.

Read More Here

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However Mayor Bloomberg was forced to cancel it

A few hours after Bloomberg insisted the race would be held, he reversed his decision when top city officials lined up against him.

“We would not want a cloud to hang over the race or its participants, and so we have decided to cancel it,” the mayor said in a statement. “We cannot allow a controversy over an athletic event — even one as meaningful as this — to distract attention away from all the critically important work that is being done to recover from the storm and get our city back on track.”

The nationally televised race that winds through the city’s five boroughs and ends in Central Park has been held annually since 1970 — it was held in 2001, about two months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Read More Here

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ILONGGO RUNNERS HULLEZA, GANZON RULE LAST VISAYAS SWING OF 36TH NATIONAL MILO MARATHON

From Manila Times, Oct 31 by AFP
Rowell Hulleza and Alexandra Ganzon took advantage of the fair weather to top the Iloilo qualifying leg of the 36th National MILO Marathon.

Over 12,200 athletes and running enthusiasts ran the difficult course around Iloilo City for the thirteenth installment of the country’s premier foot race. Negrense Hulleza dominated the 21k men’s division race in 1:15:56 to pocket the P 10,000 top prize. The West Negros University Criminology undergraduate finished ahead of runners Bennie Murillo and Jorge Sepida, who finished in 1:16:38 and 1:22:24, respectively. Completing the top 3 cast in the distaff side are Ganzon, who triumphantly crossed the finish line in first place at 1:44:59, Mellina Jane Jaroda at 1:52:34 and Mary Antonette Nuñez at 1:57:45.

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Adidas King of the Road: Good Field in Local Womens 16.8k

Mary Grace Delos Santos (Photo Credits: Orange Magazine TV/Newton Running Shoes Company)

(Sept 30) Perhaps the most interesting race of this event was the Philippine Womens 16.8k road race.  This was won by National 5 and 10k Silver Medalist Mary Grace Delos Santos originally from Zamboanga now representing Cebu the 25 year old held off team mate Mary Joy Tabal. Tabal (23) the 2011 National Bronze Medalist in the 5k was originally a 59 second 400m sprinter who has moved up into the world of road running.  Behind them was National 10k and Marathon record holder Christabel Martes, the 33 year-old veteran these days is an employee of Riovanna. Another veteran 30 year old Former 2005 SEA Games representative and UAAP Stand out Nheann Bharcena was fourth. And in fifth place to add diversity was 15 year old Ana Jean Tamayo.

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Womens 16.8k Results

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Floredeliza Donos of Baguio won the womens 5k while Michael Bacong won the Mens.  Veteran 10k Record Holder Eduardo Buenavista took out the Mens 16.8k easily.

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Full results can be found here at takbo.ph

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Rexona Run (Sept 23)

By Romina S. Austria (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

So Determined Jessa Mangsat won the Womens 5k Run.

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(Sept 23), Manila Local runners struck in the 21K relay races with Flor-deliza Donos and Jho-ann Banayag ruling the all-female race (1:25:23); Rafael Poliquit Jr. and Richard Salano the all-male division (1:10:21); and Lowemar Strella and Michelle Tibagacay (1:26:23) the mixed relay category.

Willy Rotich, the 2010 21K Rexona Run king, settled for the 5K title in 14:55. Fellow Kenyan Philip Ronoh was second (15:14) and olympic 10k runner Rene Herrera third (15:25).

Jessa Mangsat topped the female side with a time of 19:55 while Lovely Gemeroy clocked 20:38 and Annaleah Cierva 24:48 for second the third places, respectively.

*Herrera and Banayag are members of the national team

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Tabal, Tillor rule PSAN Run

By Caecent No-ot Magsumbol (The Freeman)

 (Sept 17) CEBU, Philippines – Mary Joy Tabal added feather on her cap as Noel Tillor continued to make waves in the local running scene via the Philippine Society of Animal Nutritionists at the Terraces grounds of Ayala Center-Cebu yesterday.

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Beboso and Kenyans win VCMC Run Cebu (rev 1)

Article by Emmanuel B. Villaruel, Philippine Star Cebu.

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(Sept 3) In yesterdays Value Charity Make a Change (VCMC) Run. Run starting and ending at Park Mall Grounds. The Kenyans dominated the mens distance running in Cebu. However in the womens with top distance runners Mary Joy Tabal and Mary Grace delos Santos missing in action.

.Mary Jane Beboso won the Womens 21K (Half Marathon) would win in 1h47:37.33, Preciosa Sanchez came out second in 1:53:13.85 followed by Emeralde Hermosilla (1:56:02.86), Jane Ong (2:01:49.81) and Eri Miyamura (2:04:04.31). Rounding up the top 10 finishers were Marissa Yap (2:08:52.98), Marjorie Jore (2:09:36.99), Pamela Apuhin (2:11:08.19), Edna Herale (2:14:04.94) and Rose Caballero (2:17:57.37).

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Full Article from the Phil Star Cebu can be found here

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• Kiptanui, Beboso rule VCMC race (newsinfo.inquirer.net)

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Tabby Joy (Tabal) wins Timex Run

(Aug 19) Cebuana Mary Joy Tabal, won the 16k in the Timex Run-Cebu with the time of 1:05.55. Finishing ahead of Joery Lee 1:13.29, with triathlete Amale-Mendenoza Jopson in third 1:21.16.

Tabal is one of the countries promising upcoming distance runners. Tabal took the silver medal in 18:29.70 at the 2011 PNG behind 2009 SEA Games Marathon Champion Jhoann Banayag. Tabby who began off as a 59 second 400m sprinter before quickly moving up to the longest distances has taken the past year off track meets but did participate in the 2012 PRISAA. Her focus being mainly on the half marathon distance range where she represented the Philippines at Singapore in June. Tabal has registered 1:24.31 in a Half Marathon (21k) at Canmarines Sur last year and 3:08.38 in the Marathon in 2010.

Another more established runner originally from Zamboanga living in Cebu Mary Grace Delos Santos who ran personal bests to claim two silver medals at the PNG in the 5k (17:44.85) (close race), and 10k (37:49.36) easily won the women’s 10k in 39 minutes and 52 seconds. Lovely Andlin was second in 42:27, and Kisha Mae Delechos was third in 44:51.

The Mens 16k was won by Kenyan Douglas Mwiti (54:50). His Kenyan team-mate Abraham Missos won the 10k (34:05) ahead of Cebu’s Mendel Lopez (34:57), Lopez ran a personal  best of 15:23.85 last year in Singapore representing the Philippines but has not featured much at all this year on the track.

More results and details here

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Hypersports Get Fit Run Review and Results (July 8)

(Aug 18) Hypersports successfully staged its first ever road race ‘Hypersports Get Fit Run’ at Quirino Grandstand, Manila July 8.  Hypersports is a sports events management group, composed primarily of  a group of mainly ex-national track and field athletes.

They conducted a 3k, 5k, 10k and 21k (half-marathon) event, with the timing done with the IPICO Sports Chip.

The 3K Road Race was won by Kenyan Jackson Chirchir in 8:38, who has a best Marathon time of 2 hours 33.31 according to Allathletics. Second was former San Sebastian stand out Michael Bacong in 8:48, National 1500m Record Holder and double SEA games silver medalist Mervin Guarte (SSC) was third well behind in 9:20, with his training partner Michael ‘Topix’ Villamor of UPHR running with him at 9:21. The fastest women in the 3k finished 5th overall and that was Josephine Mendoza in 10:56.

Meanwhile in the Mens 5K  35-year old Kenyan Samuel Tarus Too (who holds a life time pb of 2h21.01 in the Marathon) clocked 15:14.3 in the 5K, well ahead of Roger Denolio of UST 15:45.9 and fellow Kenyan Elid Kipliomo 15:58.8.

National 5k Record Holder Mercidita Fetalvero (nee. ‘Bunso’ Manipol) was the fastest women the 30-year old former member of the national team jogged 18:37.2 well off her glory days of 16:40.81, but held off UAAP 5k medalist Mary Ann Dela Cruz (FEU) 19:00.5 who is in good shape coming into the next UAAP, and National Junior 10K Record Holder Jessa Mangsat (Baguio) was third in 19:13.0

The Mens 10k was dominated by Kenyans with 36- year old Willie Rotich 31:16 winning.

(If Rotich is the same guy on allathletics.com he has best times of 1:45.33 800m (2002), 3:38.63 1500m (2004) which are below the Philippine records. He has run 14:19.60 (2012) in 5k which would be very competitive at the PNG. He has a best 10k time of 29:07.26 which is parallel to the Philippine record.)

Samson Tuwei was second 31:50, Eliud Kerring third in 32:32, Kiptala Kimuge 33:30, James Mirei 37:42.  The fastest women in this event was also a Kenyan Irene  Kipchumba who ran 40:10 (there is another Irene Kwamai Kipcumba who was a world championship finalist)

Kipkazi (via flickr)

The Half Marathon was won by Kenyan Benjamin Kipkazi in 1:12.14 who edged out 10K national record holder Eduardo Buenavista 1:12.22, and National 10k Champion Julius Sermona 1:12.27 narrowly for the win. His Kenyan team-mate Philip Rono was fourth in a very close 1:12.35, and SEA Games Marathon Medalist Eric Paniqui was fifth in 1:13.55.

(NB. Could someone please comment in regards to the Kenyan runners and there best times etc.. over various distances. Are they working in the Philippines? Would they be fairly competitive at national level. Are they recreational runners? or just older runners or where very good at one stage?)

Full Results can be found here

Hyper Sports is now organizing another road run at General Santos as part of the 14th Tuna Festival Activities on September 2, 2012. This race will be called Get Fit Run- Gen San Tuna Festival for more information  about entering this run and registration please visit the Hyper Sports Website below

http://www.hypersports.ph/

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