THE streets of Cebu City will be littered with green shirts this morning as the 32nd Milo Marathon Cebu elimination blasts in front of the Cebu Normal University in Osmeña Blvd.
More than 24,000 runners from all walks of life will be vying for the cash prizes at stake but the eyes of the running enthusiasts will be focused on the 21K runners who will banner Cebu City in the national finals in November.
In the absence of last year’s champion, Leszl Gitaruelas, Madelyn Carter who finished second in the women’s division, is the runner to watch, while on the men’s side, former UC Webmaster Rogelio Reli, who is now running for the Philippine Army, is the top bet to win the race.
Aside from the 21K runners, the 5K race is also expected to be a tough competition as well as the 3K fun run division where young kids aged 6 to 9 years old and 10-12 years old are entered.
Coverage
Today’s race will also be covered live by ABS-CBN with simultaneous telecast with the other cities that will also hold the elimination today – Manila, Tarlac and Davao.
Race organizer Ricky Ballesteros confirmed that Cebu has the most number of entries among the four cities that will stage the elimination today.
“What I heard is that Manila has the second most number of participants. They have about 20,000 then Davao and Tarlac. This the fourth time that Cebu has continuously broken the number of entries,” Ballesteros said.
There will also be a cheerdance competition for the elementary, high school and collegiate division that will be held right after the last runner had checked in.
This year is expected to be a better competition since “every year our cheerdance competition is improving,” Ballesteros said. (RCM)
