(Above L-R) Ireneo Raquin and Mary Grace Delos Santos victorious as champions for the 42K category of the 38th National MILO Marathon Manila Qualifying Race with (Below L-R) Ms. Ellen Isturis, MILO Team Lead; Ms. Sherilla Bayona, Nestle Philippines Beverages Unit, Business Executive Manager and Mr. Robbie de Vera, MILO Sports Marketing Executive awarding the P50,000 cash prize
Veteran runner Ireneo Raquin stamped his authority as he clinched his first ever victory at the 42K tracks in the 38th National MILO Marathon Manila Qualifying Race held at the SM Mall of Asia grounds, Pasay City on Sunday. Former MILO Marathon Queen Mary Grace Delos Santos was not to be outshined as she reclaimed her title in the female’s division race. Both are being trained by coach Mario Castro in Baguio City.
Cheerleaders from Taguig City University flash their dance moves for the MILO Cheerleading Competition as a side event of the marathon
Each pocketed a cash prize of P50,000, a trophy, and a sought-after slot in the National Finals on December 7. As an added motivation for this year’s runners, MILO will send the MILO Marathon King and Queen to Japan on an all-expense paid trip to the 2015 Tokyo Marathon.
Raquin finished at an impressive 02:31:15, which set back rivals Jeson Agravante (02:38:36) and Rafael Poliquit (02:44:15) to second and third place, respectively. The 29-year-old native from Occidental Mindoro, currently based in Baguio, has been joining the MILO Marathon since 2005 and has been consistently qualifying for and placing in the finals. “I didn’t expect to win because my fiercest rivals are more experienced than me. I am overjoyed because finally, I won first place,” expressed Raquin. “We aimed to enhance my speed and endurance in training, and I’m happy that it paid off. For the National Finals, I will continue training hard.”
Runners in high spirits readily anticipating the gun start
On the distaff side, Mary Grace Delos Santos posted a stellar time of 03:08:18 and excelled over fellow elite runners Jennylyn Nobleza (03:17:43) and Aileen Tolentino (03:33:04). The 27-year-old Philippine Air Force member added today’s victory to her long list of local and international awards. “We’re grateful that the weather today was great and we used that to our advantage. We’re also thankful for the abundant water stations which help us runners hydrate during the race,” said Delos Santos. “I felt that my training was not enough. My main aim was to qualify for the finals. I’m very proud to have conquered the 42K event and I will work doubly hard for the National Finals.”
Kids, aspiring runners, running enthusiasts and professional athletes graced the esteemed running event. Other distinguished participants who exhibited their passion for fitness and running are MILO R2 APEX Running School (MARS) founder Coach Jim Saret, fellow coach Toni Saret, the MARS graduates and the 2014 The Biggest Loser Contestants.
42K female category winner Mary Grace Delos Santos sprints gleefully to the finish line
“We are extremely pleased with today’s turnout. We always welcome runners of all ages and from all backgrounds to join in on the fun,” said Andrew Neri, MILO Sports Marketing Manager. “We take pride in saying that the MILO Marathon inspires not only athletic excellence and sportsmanship, but also camaraderie in the Philippine sports community.”
With the support of the Department of Education and the National MILO Marathon runners, MILO’s Help Gives Shoes advocacy will provide 16,000 underprivileged youth with brand new running shoes and reach the 50,000 mark this year. As MILO celebrates its 50th year, Help Give Shoes aims to make the donation to students in Yolanda-hit cities, particularly Tacloban, Ormoc, and Eastern Samar.
The qualifying race will resume in Naga on August 24 before heading to Lucena (August 31), Puerto Princesa (September 7), Lipa (September 14), Iloilo (September 21), Bacolod (September 28), Tagbilaran (October 5), Cebu (October 12), Butuan (October 19), Cagayan De Oro (November 9), General Santos (November 16), and Davao (November 23). The National Finals will be held on December 7 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City.
More than 37,000 runners from all running events raced their way to the finish line for the 38th National MILO Marathon in SM Mall of Asia grounds, Pasay City
The 38th National MILO Marathon is made possible by Timex, the Bayview Park Hotel Manila, ASICS, Lenovo, Manila Bulletin and Gatorade, along with endorsements from the Department of Education, Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.
For more information on MILO Philippines, log on to the official website (http://www.milo.com.ph) or the MILO Philippines Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/milo.ph). Follow MILO on Twitter (@MiloPH) and Instagram (@MiloPhilippines).