DESPITE the presence of international runners from Kenyan, Cebuano athlete Mark Mahinay emerged victorious in the recently concluded "Home Credit: Takbo Para sa Life Run," held last Sunday, March 29, 2026, at City di Mare, South Road Properties (SRP), Cebu City.
Mahinay, a native of Catmon, Cebu and a student-athlete at the University of Cebu, finished the 10-kilometer race with a time of 31 minutes and 33 seconds.
He was closely followed by multi-titled Kenyan runner Eric Chepsiror, who clocked in at 31:43.
Not far behind was Nickson Kosgei, who crossed the finish line in 32:19 to take third place.
This victory solidifies Mahinay’s status as one of Cebu's rising stars in distance running competitions.
His impressive resume includes representing the Philippines at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Germany where he competed in the 1,500m, 5,000m, and 10,000m events on the global stage.
While he did not secure a medal in Germany, his experience competing against elite international runners has significantly boosted his credentials and performance.
In the women's category, Ruth Gachecu dominated the field, finishing the race in 40:10.
The podium was completed by Michelle Zamora who clocked the race in 40:36, trailing by only 26 seconds.
Ashley Fairh Alburo came in third with a clocking of 45:26.
Even with short notice, nearly 2,000 runners participated in the event, which featured a raffle draw with home appliances as prizes.
Following the success of the Cebu leg and an earlier event in Manila, organizers plan to expand the series.
"Home Credit is gearing up for bigger and better Takbo Para sa Life events in the future, with plans to bring the run to more communities nationwide," the company stated.
"With every stride, Takbo Para sa Life continues to grow as a platform that brings people together, celebrating health, community, and personal wins, one run at a time." (JBM)