FORMER Davao City standout Arlan Arbois Jr. broke down in tears as he pushed through the final kilometers of the men’s marathon Sunday night, catching up to claim silver and helping the Philippines secure two podium finishes.
Arbois finished in two hours, 30 minutes, and 19 seconds, trailing Indonesia’s Syianturi Robi, who took gold in 2:27:33. Richard Salaño added bronze for the Philippines at 2:31:29.
"Last four kilometers, Ma’am, nagahilak nako habang gadagan kay pangalawa nako (Last four kilometers, I was crying while running because I was in second place)," Arbois said in a Messenger interview with SunStar Davao. "Hantud last two kilometers, gadagan ko gapasalamat nako sa Ginoo, Ma’am, until finish (For the last two kilometers, I just kept thanking God until the finish)."
The race tested Arbois from the start. He led early, but by the three-kilometer mark, two Indonesian runners overtook him. He stayed with the pack until 10K, then fell behind slightly, keeping a 50-meter gap. A side cramp at 15K forced him to slow down and run behind another competitor to recover. By 18K, the pain subsided, and he resumed his pace, gradually catching up. At 38K, he closed in on one of the Indonesian runners, setting up a dramatic finish.
Crossing the line, Arbois thought of his family and the Filipino people.
"Ang nasulod sakung hunahuna pag finish, Ma’am, is na malipay ang mga tao sa Pilipinas nga nakapasok ang duha ka Pinoy sa top three (The first thing that came to mind was that people back home would be happy that two Filipinos made it to the top three),” he said.
The 28-year-old marathoner, originally from Sitio Second Barrio, Barangay Miasong in Tupi, South Cotabato, moved to Davao City in 2015 as a varsity scholar at Rizal Memorial Colleges. He continues to stay at coach Charlie Hifarva’s residence whenever he returns to the city. In preparation for the SEA Games, Arbois trained for three months at Baguio’s Teachers’ Camp, building endurance at altitude. His daily regimen included two- to three-hour-long runs and up to two-hour speed sessions.
Arbois, who won silver in the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games with a time of 2:33, holds a personal best of 2:24:23. Improved government support this year, including full national team privileges, allowances, and meals, helped him focus fully on training and competition.
After the race, he plans to rest for two weeks and resume training in January for the Tokyo Marathon in March.
“This medal is for my family, my partner, and the child I hope to raise one day,” he said. MLSA