Elite runners Gerald Sabal and Janette Agura set a swift pace for the 21-K division run at the 37th National MILO Marathon Sunday in Lipa City. Sabal and Agura each received a cash prize of P10,000, a trophy, and a coveted spot in the National Finals on December 8 for their respective victoriesOf the 5,973 runners who competed in the race, 24 other runners had also qualified for the National Finals. The stakes have been raised for this season’s MILO Marathon King and Queen, as they will be competing alongside elite runners from across the world at the esteemed Paris Marathon in 2014
27-year old Sabal, who placed sixth in the 36th MILO Marathon National Finals, once again proved he is a force in the sport when he crossed the finish line at 1:21:06, outpacing counterparts Nelson Eligiran (1:21:11) and Ronilo Moreno (1:26:04). The Philippine Army runner was also part of the team that won the 2nd International Boulder Face Challenge, a 24-hour endurance race to the peak of Mt. Apo, early last year
In the distaff side, 35-year old Agura clocked in at an impressive 1:31:36, earning her an all-expenses paid trip to Manila for the season finale, way ahead of rivals Cindy Lorenzo (1:35:11) and Jocelyn Eligiran (1:44:53)
“I work hard to represent and bring honor to my hometown,” said Agura, a native of the City of All Seasons. “I will continue to train hard to prepare myself for the National Finals as this will give me a chance to compete against the country’s best. Determination and training are requisite for success.” Agura is also the female champion of last year’s Mayon 360 80KM Ultramarathon
As an ongoing commitment to develop sports in the country, MILO’s Help Give Shoes advocacy provides pairs of rubber shoes to various public schools across the country. A total of 500 pairs were delivered to beneficiary schools today in Lipa, namely Sto. Toribio Elementary School, San Guillermo Elementary School, Balacnin National High School, Senator Ma. Kalaw Katigbak Elementary School, and Dagatan Elementary School. With the invaluable support of the Department of Education and the National MILO Marathon runners, MILO has given a total of 25,200 shoes to date
