JEROME Casinillo and Lizane Abella of the Spectrum Runners Club hogged the limelight in Cebu’s first major running event since the Covid-19 pandemic brought sporting events to a standstill for two years.

The running competition was finally back on Sunday, April 24, 2022, with Casinillo and Abella showing no signs of rust coming off a two-year layoff as they dominated the RC Goldline Half Marathon 2022 Recovery Run at the Pescadores Road, Cebu Business Park in Cebu City.

Casinillo breasted the tape in 1 hour, 13 minutes and 17 seconds to win the men’s 21-kilometer race. Florendo Lapiz came in second at 1:17:23 and Kenyan Eric Chepsisor settled for third at 1:18:40.

Abella won the women’s half marathon in 1:41:09, while teammate Evamae Villarin nabbed second place in 1:44:51. Josephina Rodriguez rounded up the top 3 in 1:50:20.

The Spectrum Runners Club also dominated the 12K race with Mark Mahinay and Asia Paraase winning the men’s and women’s title in 41:36 and 51:16, respectively.

Prince Joey Lee came in 42:06 and Kenyan Joseph Mururi in 44:38 to finish as runners-up to Mahinay, while Mariel Estreba finished in 53:19 and Cherry Andrin in 55:14 to take second and third place, respectively, in the distaff side.

In the 6K category, Jovan Bensig (20:19) topped the men’s race followed by RinMarch Gonzaga (20:50) and John Emanuel Ditay (50:51), while Ysabel Baldos (29:47) ruled the women’s side followed by Maria Eulalea Pineda (30:37) and Criselda Alianec (37:36).

Jessie Abelgos (10:09) and junior triathlete Moira Frances Erediano (15:19) emerged as the fastest male and female runners, respectively, in the 3K category.

Race director Joel Juarez of Coco Running said more than 1,000 runners joined the race.