Tuesday, September 09, 2008 Cebuanos rule Bohol Milo Marathon
CEBUANO foot racers conquered Bohol as they dominated the 32nd Milo Marathon last Sunday in Tagbilaran City.
Cebuanos Philip Dueñas and Christy Sevilleno took the top plums in the men’s and women’s division of the marathon.
Things are finally coming full circle for Sevilleno, who is well on her way to reclaiming the Cebu marathon queen title when she topped the women’s race with a time of 1:43.51, overpowering fellow Cebuano Merlita Arias, who settled for second.
Sevilleno was once considered Cebu’s marathon queen after winning the Cebu legs of the Milo races from 2002-2006 until she dropped out of racing when she gave birth.
She was pregnant when she won the 2006 crown
Arias, who led all throughout the race, fell to second when she suffered muscle cramps that gave way for Sevilleno to take over the lead towards the finish line.
Arias, who finished 10th in the Kota Kinabalu Climbathon last month, finished second with a time of 1:46, while another Cebuana, Sharon Vega, came in two minutes later to claim third place.
Dueñas of Southwestern University overcame physical pain to top the race with a time of 1:16.11, to upset erstwhile Bohol champion Riez Enriquez, a Cebuano from University of Southern Philippines Foundation.
Dueñas, the 2006 Milo Cebu winner, managed to wrest the lead from Enriquez in the turning point of the race. However, he suffered chest pains with still seven kilometers left in the 21K race. (MCB)
