MARY Grace delos Santos saved her coach from disaster and went on to erase the country’s record in the 25K division of the Pilipinas International 25K Marathon (PIM) yesterday.
Delos Santos sliced Arsenia Sagaray’s record of 1:45:26.02 by finishing the 25K race in 1:41. Mary Joy Tabal took second at 1:49 and Kenyan runner Irene Kipchumba got third at 1:58.11.
In the men’s division, Kenyan Anthony Cusque won in 1:27.43. Another Kenyan, Abraham Missos, got second in 1:28.59 and Cebuano Ian Bernido (1:31.30) got third place.
Other winners in the race yesterday were Joeyry Lee and Joel Delposo in the 10K division, and Crezel Diongson and Jory Ycong in the 5K.
Delos Santos she could have finished with a much better time had it not been for an untoward incident at the South Road Properties (SRP).
Delos Santos was at the SRP when a speeding car hit their marshalL, who was on a mountainbike just a meter ahead of the runners.
The driver of the car was allegedly using her cell phone.
Affected
“Si coach (Sherwin) Manangil unta kay hapit ma apil kay he was just beside the marshall. Maayo na lang nabira nako siya (I pulled him out of harm’s way),” said Delos Santos.
She said she stopped running to stay with her coach but he told her to continue because the medical team was on the way.
“Ma-baba pa unta akong time but because na distract na ko with what happened. Na affected akong run. I was crying all the way to the finish line by myself because coach Manangil decided to just stay behind,” Delos Santos said.
The incident reminded her of a race in Cagayan de Oro in 2008, when a motorcycle struck her near the finish line. She got a nasty gash on her head but still managed to finish that race.
“Magpasalamat lang ko sa moral support sa taga Cebu, to coach Sherwin and to my friends,” delos Santos said.
Meanwhile, International Pharmaceutical Inc. advertising manager and race organizer Tito dela Merced said they are taking care of the marshall who was hospitalized.
He admitted there was a glitch in the technical aspect of the race but they will do their best to improve their races—one is scheduled this year and another one will be early next year.