Under the cool night sky and amid the energy of thousands of runners, Elmer Bartolo of Calinan, Davao City proved once again why he remains a force in long-distance running. The 43-year-old veteran outpaced the field to capture the men’s 21K crown at the Hoka Midnight Run Asia 2025 – Davao that concluded early Sunday morning, September 28, 2025, at the Davao Global Township in Matina.
Bartolo clocked one hour, 18 minutes, and 27 seconds (1:18:27), edging Marc Carlo Davis by just six seconds. Paul James Zafico followed in third with a time of 1:21:46.
He claimed that winning the title was unexpected.
“Wala gyud Mam kay daghan kaayo nangapil almost 2,500 kabuok… ang akoa lang try lang nako akong best mam. Salamat pud ko sa Ginoo nga gihatagan pud ko kusog nga mahuman kani nga event safely ko (Honestly, Ma’am, I didn’t expect it because there were almost 2,500 runners. I just tried my best. I thank God for giving me the strength to finish this event safely),” Bartolo said.
“Mga unom na ka-title na mam nako ni nga 21K sa Hoka. Happy kaayo mam nga ako’y nag-champion kay dili basta-basta modula og 21K. Resulta jud akong training buntag hapon, bisan og ulan modagan gihapon para maka-prepare ani nga Hoka 21K (Honestly, Ma’am, I didn’t expect it because there were almost 2,500 runners. I just tried my best. I thank God for giving me the strength to finish this event safely.This is already my sixth 21K HOKA title. I’m really happy to win because running 21K is no joke. This is the result of all my training morning and afternoon, even when it rains, just to prepare for this race),” he said
Bartolo also gave credit to organizers and his mentor.
He added, “Hapsay kaayo mam bisan og ulan ganiha… nagpasalamat pud ko sa Team Kinetix sa nindot nila nga pag-organize ani nga Hoka Midnight Run. Pasalamat pud ko kay Sir Kenneth Sai ug kay idol Coach Rio (Everything went smoothly despite the rain earlier… I’m thankful to Team Kinetix for organizing this great Hoka Midnight Run. Thanks also to Sir Kenneth Sai and my idol, Coach Rio).”
Bartolo, who once held a personal best of 1:08 in the 21K, laughed as he admitted, “Wala mam, hinay na karon kay tigulang na (Not anymore, ma’am, I’m slower now because I’m getting old).”
On the women’s side, Yahsharah Daligdig finished in 1:36:45 to secure the 21K title. Leedy Erika Villamonte came in just two seconds later, while May Angelie Mag-aso rounded out the podium in 1:39:52.
In the 10K race, Justin Monsanto led the men with a blistering 33:14, followed closely by Kyle Royce Cruz (33:27) and Rico Bansilan (35:02). For the women, Kate Duffy Gel McDowell edged out Lyka Catubig by a single second, crossing the finish line at 43:08, while Rachel Rellin settled for third at 47:19.
The 5K event saw Mark James Agudo dominate the men’s division with 17:25, with Gleathen Dave Capoy (18:05) and James Lim (18:24) completing the top three. Aslia Hadji Nassef ruled the women’s category in 22:48, followed by Dianne Angelika Ramirez (25:16) and Shaian Alviola (25:32).
Nearly 6,000 runners joined this year’s race, organized by RunRio in partnership with Davao City-based KinetixSports of Kenneth Sai. Participants came not just from Davao City but also from neighboring cities and provinces in Mindanao, adding to the event’s scale and excitement.
A festive vibe greeted the finishers, with DJs blasting party music and refreshments flowing—from taho, ice cream, Angel’s Burger, and Gardenia bread to cold water. Each runner also went home with loot bags. MLSA