Raquin, Delos Santos triumph in 38th National MILO Marathon Manila Qualifying Race
37,063 runners raced to the finish line in the country’s premier footrace
MANILA, Philippines, 27 July 2014 – 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.
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.”
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.
“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.
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).
* – results as of 27 July 2014
Race Results for 5K, 10K, 21K and 42K can be located here.
About MILO
The MILO brand is the world’s leading chocolate malt beverage that can be prepared with hot or cold milk or water. Given its popularity it is a “must have” product for food service operators particularly in Asia, Africa and Oceania.
MILO also promotes participation in sports through its Summer Sports Clinics, MILO-B.E.S.T. Center Training Program, MILO Marathon, and MILO Little Olympics. The leading beverage brand believes that these contribute to the holistic development of Filipino champions in sports and in life. 2014 marks MILO’s 50th year in the country.
About the National MILO Marathon
The National MILO Marathon is an annual marathon event open to amateur and professional runners. From its humble beginnings in 1974 as a single marathon race in Metro Manila attended by 747 participants, the National MILO Marathon has grown to be the biggest, longest, grandest national running event in the country attracting more than hundreds of thousands of runners across the country.
The National MILO Marathon has grown into a globally renowned running event having been certified by the Association of International Marathons (AIMS) and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), and hosts foreign marathoners from Kenya, Ethiopia, and other countries across the world. The race is organized by RunRio, Inc.
About Nestle Philippines
Over a hundred years after it first started operations in the country, Nestle Philippines, Inc. (NPI) today is a robust and stable organization, proud of its role in bringing the best food and beverage throughout the stages of the Filipino consumers’ lives. The Company employs more than 3,200 men and women nationwide, and is now among the country’s Top 10 Corporations.
Driven by its mission to nurture generations of Filipino families, Nestle today produces and markets products under some of the country’s well known brands such as NESCAFE, NIDO, MILO, NESTEA, MAGGI, BEAR BRAND, NESTLE and PURINA, among others. Its product range has expanded to include coffee, milk, beverages, non-dairy creamer, food, infant nutrition, ice cream and chilled dairy, breakfast cereals, confectionery and pet care.
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