Mary Grace Delos Santos beats Joy Tabal in SM2SM 21K

Monday, February 13, 2012

MARY Grace Delos Santos raised the banner for locals as the only Filipino to win the premier half-marathon category while the rest of the categories were dominated by Kenyans in the second SM2SM Run yesterday.

Delos Santos’ stint in this year’s race was unplanned as she is currently on a three-week vacation after joining the Hong Kong marathon, where she placed 13th overall in the 42K women’s open.

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Aside from winning this year, she also improved her time from 1:28 last year to 1:24.34 and was in the lead from kilometer 6 until the finish line.

“Happy naman ako kasi wala akong plano sumali dito, bakasyon lang sana,” said Delos Santos.

She got the clearance to join this race from her coach Roy Vence and she will resume training in Baguio after her vacation to focus on the Philippine National Games.

The returning Mary Joy Tabal placed second in 1:29.26 for her second straight second place finish in the event.

Tabal is slowly getting back on the road after she was advised to take a complete rest from her knee injury.

“I would like to test how far I have already recovered from my injury,” said Tabal.

Kenyan Susan Chemutan was dethroned from her first place finish last year and has been relegated to third place in 1:30.15.

On the other hand, Samson Tuwei bagged another victory in the men’s half-marathon division, his second straight after winning the 21K in this year’s Cebu City Marathon.

Tuwei clocked 1:08.3 for his second title in Cebu races, beating compatriot David Kipsang (1:09.10) and Benjamin Kipzang (1:09.15).

Kenyans Joshua Kipzarol, Richard Chelino and Jackson Chirchir took the fourth to sixth slots while Adonis Singson timed 1:21.03 to finish seventh.

In the 12K, Willy Rotich took the title in 39:43, beating compatriots Abraham Missos (39:57) and Douglas Mwiti (41:14), while Christy Tutor finished in 53:23 to secure the top spot in the women’s 12K open against Madelyn Carter (53:47) and Merlita Dunkin (54:36).

In the 6K women’s category, the Andrin siblings swept the top three positions with Lovely at first in 22:39, Jhean at second in 22:57 and youngest Cherry at third in 23:21.

Jobert Carolino (18:56) defeated Mendel Lopez (18:59) in the 6K men’s by three seconds while Jorry Ycong arrived in third place in 19:29.

Consistent winners Noy Jopson and wife Amale won the 21K couple’s category in 1: 45:30. Nemie and Tessie Escasiñas placed second for the third time in a couples run in 1:56.13, while Rhyz and Mae Ann Bu-ac arrived in third in 1:56.41.

Dr. Potenciano “Yong” Larrazabal III and wife Donna won in the couple’s run 12K division in 58:20. Jeffrey and Leonora Villamor arrived in second place with a time of 1:04.30 while Celso and Cecilia Cabahug finished in third place in 1:07.49.

Despite the heavy rains that never stopped in the entire duration of the run, organizers were overwhelmed by the large crowd that gathered for the race.

“The race was very much controlled despite the rain. In fact, the rain even enhanced it,” said Larrazabal.

Organizers, on the spot, decided to give a cash prize for the winners in the 6K. Aside from the P30,000 pocketed by 21K first placers and P10,000 by 12K winners, the 6K leader also received P5,000.

The race was able to donate P200,000 to the Cebu City Task Force for Street Children under Councilor Margot Osmeña.