More than 11,000 runners join Milo Marathon
The 34th Milo Marathon in Iloilo City on September 26 was participated by 11,134 runners, from only 7,000 participants last year.
The race yielded 34 runners who have qualified for the National Milo Marathon Finals Manila on December 12.
Rene Desuyo of Bago City, Negros Occidental and Cerela Cortel of Roxas City ruled the Iloilo City regional leg.
Desuyo, 25, a fifth placer in the National Finals last year, outraced Rowell Hulleza and Alvin Villanueva in the last 500 meters to pocket the 21-kilometer top prize of P10,000 and earn another trip to Manila.
Desuyo, a sports officer in the Iloilo Sports Commission, finished with a time of 1:14:28. Not far behind was Hulleza, who clocked 1:14:32 for second place and Villanueva, who settled for third with 1:14:46.
Meanwhile, Cortel, 21, a freshman at Colegio De La Purisima, surprised veteran runners when she posted 1:28:15 to win the women’s category and earn a trip to the Finals.
Jennelyn Nobleza finished second with a time of 1:33:50.
Nestlé officials led by Milo Sports Executive Pat Goc-Ong expressed elation over the high turnout of runners this year, which contributed to Milo’s sports advocacy of providing shoes for public school children.
With the recent donation of 200 shoes to pupils of Buntatala Elementary School in Jaro district, Iloilo City, the advocacy has raised a total of 2,360 pairs of shoes.*
