Sorongon, Pescos prevail in Cebu leg of Milo Marathon

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A shout of encouragement from the coach of Olympian Mary Joy Tabal pushed Ruffa Sorongon to work harder to clinch her back-to-back 21K women’s title in the Cebu leg of the 40th National Milo Marathon, Sunday, September 25. The race started and ended at the vast grounds of the Cebu City Sports Center.

Sorongon, who only had a week to continue her training after a bout of flu for two weeks, said that 40 minutes into the race and while she was near the Gaisano Country Mall in Banilad, she was already feeling tired.

It was then that she saw John Philip Duenas, Tabal’s coach, who shouted encouragement at her, “Sige lang, kaya lang!” (Just go on, you can do it!)

“Mao jud to ang nakapush nako, ang gishagit ni Philip,” Sorongon said. 

(It was what pushed me, those words shouted by Philip.)

Not only did the 25-year-old marathoner top the Milo Marathon Cebu leg for the second straight year, but she also improved her best time, registering 1:26:27. When she crossed the finish line last year, her time was at 1:29:05.

Sorongon said she had wanted to win but was not expecting a back-to-back title, since she missed training for two weeks due to illness. She was only able to resume training a week before the race.

The night before the race, Sorongon was also suffering from hyperacidity and even vomited just before the competition started.

The JRA Surplus-sponsored runner hails from Koronadal in Sultan Kudarat but has been based here in Cebu since 2014.

Second time’s the charm

Meanwhile, the men’s division saw a new title holder in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental native Rafael Pescos, who crossed the finish line with a time of 1:14:01. 

The first time that the 22-year-old raced in a Milo 21K was in the 2010 Bacolod leg, where he placed 8th.

He then opted to compete in the 5K and 10K races in 2013 and 2014, respectively, in Iloilo, topping both.

Last year, he raced in the Bohol leg and once again reigned supreme in the 10K.

This year, Pescos decided to return to the 21K and prevented Cebu’s Noel Tillor from clinching his 3rd straight title in the event.

Tillor was leading in the first 3K but Pescos caught up with him, and from there never relinquished the lead until the finish line. Tillor eventually came in 3rd with 1:17:23.

Pescos said he wasn’t expecting to clinch the title as what he was aiming for was just to qualify for the national finals in Iloilo on December 4.

Race assessment

Cebu leg organizer Ricardo Ballesteros said the race was the smoothest so far among all the Milo races that he has ever organized, especially with the support coming from the government and police.

Some 200 policemen were deployed along the race route to ensure the participants’ safety.

“It was the smoothest, no accidents, no untoward incidents. It was the best so far. Walay na-hospital (No one was brought to the hospital),” Ballesteros said.

Milo Sports executive Andrew Neri also pointed out that the atmosphere was very festive.

“First time that I felt na walang stress. First time na hindi kami kinabahan. After what happened in Davao, every time we have a race kinakabahan kami but for some reason, here parang hindi namin naisip ‘yun. Ang saya. Ang saya ng atmosphere,” Neri said.

(It’s the first time that I felt there was no stress. It’s the first time that we didn’t feel nervous. After what happened in Davao – the bombing – every time we have a race, we’re nervous, but for some reason, here we did not feel that. It’s festive. The atmosphere is festive.)

He added that “Cebu is really a very happy place to run,” as participants in the 21K came from all over the country.

Aiming to be like Boston Marathon

The race gathered 17,414 participants. Although lower by about 4,000 participants from previous events, Ballesteros said that the number of participants in the 10K and 21K categories actually increased.

Neri also said they appreciate that participants consider the Milo Marathon a top-notch race.

“We bring our learnings from abroad in the hopes of establishing a world-class race. We are happy with the perception that it is the best of the best because the direction for the Milo Marathon is for it to become a must-run race, to become the Boston Marathon in the Philippines,” he added.

This year, the Milo Marathon partnered with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA), which inspects all of Milo’s race routes.

LIST OF WINNERS

21K MEN

1. Rafael Pescos – 1:14:01
2. Michael Largo – 1:17:03
3. Noel Tillor – 1:17:23

21K WOMEN

1. Ruffa Sorongon – 1:26:27
2. Cresabel Cadion – 1:32:14
3. Sandra Soliano – 1:46:26

10K MEN

1. Abraham Cheruiyot Kilimo – 33:02
2. Ariel Saballa – 34:58
3. Jason Padayao – 35:30

10K WOMEN

1. Karla Cosep – 49:52
2. Rue Reinhardt Panibon – 50:13
3. Rona Lacanlale – 52:19

5K MEN

1. John Cliff Debulosan – 16:15
2. John Daryl Manos – 16:46
3. Mark Domie Dinoy – 16:54

5K WOMEN

1. Mary Joy Loberanis – 18:45
2. Cherry Andrin – 19:42
3. Karen Andrea Manayon – 20:02

3K MEN

1. Kent Lloyd Gabino – 11:17
2. Carl Wayne Dichos – 11:17
3. Kirk Nanz Alison – 11:25

3K WOMEN 

1. Moira Frances Erediano – 11:58
2. Jessel Ochia – 12:18
3. Krystelle Leyson – 13:13

– Rappler.com