Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Dagupan holds women's marathon
DAGUPAN CITY -- Twelve-year-old Desiree Lorenzo finished the three-kilometer (km) run in 14 minutes as she declared champion in the 12-year-old and below category at the Dagupan Pinay Idol Marathon held here Saturday.
Around 250 young and adult women participated at the international women's day project of the Kiwanis Club of Dagupeña (KC Dagupeña) headed by Margie Ursua and the office of Dagupan City Councilor Farah Marie Decano.
KC Dagupeña president Tess Bernardino chaired the race.
Lorenzo's schoolmate Jennifer Torio came second in the 12-year-old and below category, while Shaira Ceralde of West Central Elementary School 1 finished third.
University of Luzon sprinter Rachel Ann Noces ruled the five-kilometer for the 13-year-old and above category. Second place was Mary Grace Baniqued of Lyceum University, while Josephine Bautista of Bonuan Boquig National High School came third.
The activity was made in cooperation with the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPO), Regional Mobile Group (RMG)-Ilocos and the Dagupan City Police Station (DCPS), which sent policewomen-runners.
Other participants came from different elementary, secondary, and tertiary schools and the association of engineers in Pangasinan.
It was the second year of the Dagupan Pinay Idol Marathon sponsored by the office of Decano, who herself is a marathoner and participated in the five-kilometer run.
"This is my fourth time to join a marathon. I feel great, even more if I finish the race," said the national president of the Lady Local Legislators League of the Philippines (Four L Philippines).
When asked why marathon held on Women's Month, Decano said she wants to remove the stereotyping of women as "weak."
She congratulated the KC Dagupeña for the successful holding of the marathon.
Inspired with the outcome of the project, she said she would work out early her sponsorship of next year's marathon.
She also suggested the holding of another marathon on October for children as one of her activities for the Children's Month.
Meanwhile, Kiwanis Division 1 is now preparing for the hosting of the "Sleeping Children Around the World (Scaw)" in April.
In Pangasinan, about 600 sleeping kits will be given to indigent children (aged seven to 10) recommended as recipients by the different Kiwanis clubs. (LCMY/Sunnex)
