Category: Sports

Jaro sisters, Macaladlad shine in 38th National MILO Marathon Lipa Qualifying Race

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 About 8,000 spirited runners charged under the rain during the Lipa leg of the 38th National MILO Marathon

Elite runners Joseph Macaladlad and Criselyn Jaro bagged the top purse in the 21K centrepiece events at the Lipa leg of the 38th National MILO Marathon on Sunday. Each pocketed a prize of P10,000 in cash, a trophy and a coveted slot to the National Finals on December 7, for a chance to be crowned as the MILO Marathon King and Queen. MILO will send this year’s King and Queen to Japan on an all-expense paid trip to the 2015 Tokyo Marathon. Over 8,000 runners joined today’s race.

Not even the rainy skies and slippery wet roads could stop the racers from running to their heart’s content. In the 21K male category, 24-year-old Lyceum of the Philippines Batangas Criminology student Joseph Macaladlad beat his fiercest rivals, posting a time of 01:17:14, relegating Greg Vincent Osorio (01:19:25) and Jay Laya (01:19:43) to second and third place, respectively.

21K category winners Joseph Macaladlad and Criselyn Jaro outsprinted competitors during the Lipa Leg of the 38th National MILO Marathon

Macaladlad, originally from Mindoro but residing in Batangas, has been running for six years and has been joining the MILO Marathon for three years now. He makes the most out of his passion for running by joining races to help him with his schooling. “I really love running. I’m grateful that I am able to use my winnings for my college tuition and expenses,” said Macaladlad. “I’m very happy that I won. Even if it was very rainy, which proved to be a big challenge, the cool weather was nice and I had a lot of fun in the race.”

On the distaff side, 22-year-old Brokenshire College of Davao alumna Criselyn Jaro came out on top with a time of 01:29:16, followed by fellow contenders Mirasol Abad (01:33:47) in second place and Cellie Rose Jaro (01:34:36) in third place.

Davao native Criselyn Jaro ran ahead against contenders to be the 21K female race winner of the 38th National MILO Marathon in Lipa City

The Jaro sisters are no strangers to the running scene. Running definitely runs in their family, with their names consistently appearing at the top of running results in the different race categories of the MILO Marathon, amongst various races. “My sisters and I are all runners. We grew up into a poor family, and we had to go to school which was about 11 kilometers away from our house. We would run to school to avoid being late, and that was the start of our foray into running,” shared Jaro. “Our family is our inspiration, and our eldest sister Cynthia is our biggest influence. She was the one who first started running competitively, and we all followed in her footsteps. Through running, we are able to help our family enjoy a better life.”

Each year, thousands of families join the National MILO Marathon and conquer the races together. ”We at MILO are delighted to see children, whether kids or adults, run with their parents and their siblings at the MILO Marathon. It is heartwarming to see families become really engaged in running, such as the Jaro sisters,” said Andrew Neri, MILO Sports Marketing Manager. “The National MILO Marathon is a communal gathering where numerous Filipino families channel their athletic spirits and enjoy family bonding through running together. We encourage more families to join our national family affair that is truly fun for all ages.”

10K top finisher Jomad Angus crosses the finish line in the 38th National MILO Marathon in Lipa City

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 pick up in Iloilo on September 21, then proceed to 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.

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.

Manila Mavericks’ Tickets on sale from 1 September 2014

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Philippines’ International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) franchise ‘Manila Mavericks’ announced the start of ticket sales from 1 September in the capital city of Manila.

The Mall of Asia Arena will now host the inaugural IPTL in a last minute move by IPTL from 28-30 November 2014, bringing to the city some of the world’s finest tennis stars for an epic three-day display of sport and entertainment. During the three-day extravaganza, the Manila Mavericks will take on the UAE Royals, Singapore Slammers and Indian Aces for the winning team’s purse of USD 1 million.

Eric Gottschalk, COO of IPTL who is currently in town to kick start the ticket campaign announced today that “When the Mall of Asia, one of the finest entertainment venues in the world, recently opened up the dates required to host the IPTL, we had to reconsider our previous venue options and quickly agreed that MOA is the right fit to host such an event.”

Mahesh Bhupathi, Founder of the IPTL was quick to add: “SM is the biggest conglomerate in the Philippines and having them as a partner adds a lot of value to our property and validates the potential of our league. I would like to thank SM for their long term commitment to the IPTL and the Manila Mavericks and we look forward to staging a World Premiere at MOA Arena in November”

Starting on 1 September 2014, 3-day passes only be available for the Manila event through SM Tickets, the ticket outlet of the MOA Arena which will sell during the Early Bird period between 1-15 September from General Admission (Pesos 2,500) to VIP (Pesos 49,000 including of red carpet entry) as part of a conscious and sensitive pricing strategy to make this event accessible to as many tennis fans as possible in the Philippines.

Each 3-DAY Pass entitles the holder to watch 2 daily matches, which will start at 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm local time, each day. The Mall of Asia Arena with its spectator capacity of over 13,000 seats has a tradition of hosting major sporting events but it will be the first time that Manila hosts a professional tennis event in the city.

The event will give the Philippine tennis fans, families, and young adults a world-class stage to watch the best current and former ATP and WTA players up close and personal as they compete for team victory.

The IPTL confirmed the participating players of the Manila Mavericks with Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray as the Mavericks’ top players, which will be joined by their teammates Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Kirsten Flipkens, Daniel Nestor, Carlos Moya and top Philippines player Treat Huey. 28-year-old Huey is the Philippines’ #1 and current ATP Doubles World No. 33. The player’s fans will get to see him live in action at a home event for the first time.

Other “Superstars” to come to Manila are: Serena Williams, Ana Ivanovic, Eugenie Bouchard, Danilela Hantuchova, Thoms Berdych, Lleyton Hewitt, Patrick Rafter, Nick Kyrgios, Gael Monfils, Fabrice Santoro, Richard Gasquet, Goran Ivanisevic and more.

The IPTL is “Breaking the Code” of traditional rules of tennis with its new format in which each match consist of 5 sets played in different formats by different players (men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles and former Champions’ singles) and where each game won counts as one point for the team point’s total. The team that wins the most games overall, across the five sets, wins the match.

Fans will see players calling for “time-outs” in the middle of a game, announcing a “power point” and play a “shoot out” to decide the winners of each match, while live entertainment, a running shot clock and many more features promise edge of the seat action.

Key local marketing activities will be launched in the Philippines soon to support the promotion of the event, while fans can purchase reduced priced tickets during the Early Bird promotion between 1-15 September through www.smtickets.com.

Maglinao, Raterta ace Naga Leg of the 38th National MILO Marathon

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21K runner Janette Agura poised to take her last victorious step as she crosses the finish line in the prestigious footrace

Mario Maglinao and Luisa Raterta trumped their fiercest rivals in 21K events at the 38th National MILO Marathon Eliminations in Naga City on Sunday. Each earned a cash prize of P10,000, a trophy, and a coveted slot in the National Finals.

Despite the high level of humidity during the race, over 9,000 runners rose to the challenge and exhibited their commitment and passion for running. 73 runners have qualified for the National Finals and will join Maglinao and Raterta as they go head-to-head with elite runners from across the country in Manila on December 7. The MILO Marathon King and Queen, to be crowned on that day, will be sent by MILO to Japan on an all-expense paid trip to the 2015 Tokyo Marathon.

The 6th Leg of the 38th National MILO Marathon advances to Naga City with participants displaying high spirits and determination

26-year-old Maglinao posted a time of 01:12:47, besting contenders Martin Balaybo (01:13:33), and Eugin Postrado (01:16:43). The native of Legazpi City, Albay, who currently works in Manila, has not received any formal training in running. “Like swimming and biking, running has always been a hobby and passion of mine. I do it recreationally whenever I go home to Albay,” shared Maglinao. “I didn’t have enough time to train for the race because I’m always very busy at work, but thankfully I still qualified and won. I will adjust and train for long distance running to prepare for the National Finals.”

Finishing with an impressive time of 01:32:10 on the distaff side is 33-year-old Raterta, outdoing challengers Janette Agura (01:37:41) and Marilyn Bermundo (01:40:59). Hailing from Laguna, the housewife also trains youth runners and considers her coaching as part of her own training as well. “The route was organized well this year, unlike before, when we would merge with the 3K runners that caused the slowing down of our pace,” said Raterta. “It’s always a challenge to maintain the proper pace throughout the race. I will focus on this as I train for the finals.” Raterta had also won first place in the Manila leg, and second place in the National Finals of the 37th National MILO Marathon last year, among other awards.

Young sprinters show their athletic prowess during the Naga leg of the 38th National MILO Marathon

“It is great to see excellent runners like Mario and Luisa who are able to balance their time between daily life, work, and their passion for sports,” said Andrew Neri, MILO Sports Marketing Manager. “Through our various sports programs and competitions, MILO is committed in helping shape our Filipino athletes into well-rounded champions as they progress in life.”

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 National MILO Marathon upholds family bonding and wellness through sports

The qualifying race will continue in Lucena on August 31, and will head to 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.

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.

Corpus Christi School sweeps Mindanao Leg of 27th MILO Little Olympics

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Corpus Christi School reigned supreme over its rivals in both elementary and secondary divisions of the 27th MILO Little Olympics Mindanao Leg, which concluded Sunday at the Pelaez Sports Center, Cagayan De Oro City. Around 5,000 student athletes from 202 schools across the Mindanao region exhibited their athletic prowess in 10 Olympic sports including Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Football, Gymnastics, Lawn Tennis, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo and Volleyball, and 3 non-Olympic sports, specifically Chess, Sepak Takraw and Scrabble.

Corpus Christi School topped the overall rankings, garnering an impressive 159 points in the secondary division, and 89.2 points in the elementary division. The Corpus Christians will once again lead Team Mindanao in the National Finals slated on October.

Not to be overlooked are the runners-up in the secondary division, MOGCHS-Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School who earned a total of 127 points, and Tangub City National High School, who placed third with a total of 85 points. Completing the top 10 overall rankings are Zamboanga Del Sur Sports Academy with 57 points, Xavier University High School with 51 points, Iligan City National High School with 37.4 points, University of Mindanao with 35 points, Surigao del Norte National High School with 34 points, Misamis Occidental National High School with 32 points, and La Salle Academy of Iligan City with 31 points.

In the elementary division, joining Corpus Christi School in the top ten schools are City Central School with 77 points, Iligan City Central School with 69 points, Xavier University – Grade School with 65 points, Iligan City SPED Center with 50.2 points, Cugman Elementary School with 50 points, West City Central School with 49 points, Magugpo Pilot Central School with 47 points, Koronadal Southern Elementary School with 39 points, and Igpit Elementary School with 37.5 points.

MILO Sports executive Robbie de Vera expressed his optimism over the turnout of the Mindanao leg of the competition. “Our student-athletes’ passion for sports that is on display here at the MILO Little Olympics is truly inspiring to see. We are very grateful for the continued support of the local government, the Department of Education, and our sponsors for helping us provide a top quality tournament for our student-athletes, and in encouraging them to showcase their excellence in sports and in life.”

Megdonio Llamera, MILO Little Olympics Regional Organizer exclaimed his delight in the success of this year’s Mindanao leg. “The opening was grander than last year’s. We had representatives from Nestle and from the local government, such as Gov. Vincent Emano. The parade was beautiful, the cheerdance, and even the representatives for Ms. MILO were wonderful. There were about 22,000 spectators who attended the opening cermony. The finals and awarding ceremony were also well-attended,” said Llamera. “For the National Finals, I believe that Team NCR and Team Visayas are strong competitors, but Team Mindanao will surely do their best to challenge for the title.”

In line with MILO’s 50th year anniversary, the leading beverage brand will also select in the National Finals in October the 50 Most Outstanding Athletes in the MILO Little Olympics and provide them with special prizes.

With the first two legs completed, the competition will then take its act to the Marikina Sports Complex for the NCR leg on August 22 to 24, and 30 to 31, and the Baguio City Athletic Bowl for the Luzon leg on September 5 to 7, and 13 to 14, before returning to Marikina for the National Finals on October 24 to 26.

The 27th MILO Little Olympics is made possible by Wilson, Mikasa, Molten, Butterfly, Marathon and 2Go Travel, along with endorsements from the Department of Education, Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Watch Gilas games live on your mobile device

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For the first time in decades, the Philippines will battle it out with the world’s basketball greats at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Luckily, Pinoys can conveniently watch history as it unfolds on TV as most of Gilas Pilipinas’ games will be held on Philippine primetime.

But what if you’re just coming off a meeting, or if you get stuck in horrible traffic and don’t have access to TV? You shouldn’t worry about missing the action, as wireless leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has launched the only streaming app that will let you watch Gilas matches as they happen, wherever you are, using your mobile device.

Simply download the free ViewStream app on Google Play, sign up with your Smart, Sun Cellular, or Talk ‘N Text number, and click on the app’s TV5 channel to watch – also for free – the scheduled Gilas tune-up games for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. First on the list is the August 16 match against France, which counts among its players NBA star Tony Parker.

You can watch the replays of the games on the app’s Aksyon TV channel. The two channels’ scheduled news and entertainment programs can also be accessed for free on the app.

Starting August 30, you can watch live and ad-free Gilas FIBA matches on the dedicated ViewStream channel of the app for just P15 a day. You don’t even need a credit card to pay for access because the P15 will just be deducted from your prepaid load or charged to your postpaid bill.

In areas without WiFi access, ViewStream will work great on a 3G or LTE connection. Because you’re on the country’s biggest and strongest network, the app will load the games with minimal buffer, giving you a seamless, enjoyable Gilas experience. (Standard data charges will apply if you’re not on a data plan or package.)

Here are the schedules of the tune-up and FIBA games, which you can also find on the ViewStream app. For more information, please visit www.smart.com.ph/gilaspilipinas