Sunday, October 22, 2006
Baguio runners dominate Milo elimination race
By Ernie N. Olson Jr.
LONG-DISTANCE runners from Baguio City dominated both the main event and the side events of the regional elimination race for the Milo marathon held in Dagupan City, Pangasinan.
Joel Bengtay of the Cool City group emerged as the champion in the 21-kilometer race with a time of 1 hour and 16 minutes.
In the female category, Catherine Reglos of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) also took top honors with her finishing time of 1:38:16.
Reglos was followed by Cool City runners Librada Tamson with 1:39:22 and Rosario Velasco-Alberto with 1:45:20, who ended in fourth place, but who only run as a guest runner.
Alberto, who already qualified in the 42-kilometer elimination race held in Manila last July, also came in at fourth place as a guest runner with Senator Pia Cayetano during the Tarlac elimination race last September 16.
Come-backing long-distance runners Julie Buenaventura, also of the Cool City group, came in at sixth place in the Dagupan elimination race.
Two other female runners from the PMA came in at fifth and seventh place.
Alberto said the top 3 finishers in each of the elimination races automatically earn a spot to run in the 42-kilometer Milo marathon in December this year.
Likewise, the 5-kilometer and 3-kilometer side events in the Dagupan elimination race last Sunday were also dominated by Cool City runners.
Emerging as champion in the 5K male category was Velasco Langpawan with Ceasar Castañeto Jr. taking second place. Sandi Menchi Abahan also took the top spot in the female category of the 5K.
In the 3K race, Cool City's Melmar Riolada also took first place in the male category, while newcomer Jeziel Bengtay emerged as ninth placer in the female category.
"Baguio and Cordillera runners are setting their goals once more for the San Fernando leg on October 29, 2006," Alberto said.
After registering as guest runner in all four regional elimination races for the Milo marathon along with her husband, Juan Alberto III, as part of their training, she invited all other runners to also register and participate in the San Fernando City elimination leg on October 29, which she said would be less expensive on their part.
She explained that as part of the 30th anniversary of the Milo marathon, 30 regions have been chosen for the elimination races, and most of these were scheduled in the Luzon area.
"Unfortunately, for the third straight year, Baguio has not been chosen to hold any of the elimination races," Alberto added.
(October 22, 2006 issue)
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