Miranda returns for fourth marathon gold in MILO Marathon Butuan race
Languido to go head to head with the country’s finest runners in National Finals
BUTUAN CITY, November 18, 2012 –Elite runners Judelyn Miranda and Richeel Languido dominated the 21-k Butuan tracks for the sixteenth regional leg of the 36th National MILO Marathon. About 7,859 runners displayed energy and enthusiasm early Sunday morning as they ran the streets of the Timber City of the South.
Reasserting her dominance in the sport, seasoned trackster Miranda finished far ahead of her distaff division contenders at 1:28:16 to claim her fourth MILO Marathon Butuan title. As one of the top long-distance marathon runners in the country, Miranda expects to lead the elite pack of runners in the big finale.
“I placed ninth in last year’s finals, but I am determined to take home the title this season,” said the Tagum City native. Miranda recently copped the top prize in the Timex Run Davao and is set to resume her training to develop her pace and shape for the coveted crown.
In the men’s division race, Languido posted a stellar finishing time of 1:13:25. The 26-year old said he is also determined to nab his first MILO Marathon title in the National Finals. “Since my athletic debut in 2009, competing in the MILO Marathon National Finals is by far the biggest challenge of my running career. I have never been more passionate for the sport than I am now. Although it is too early to tell whether I have a shot at the title this season, I believe that with perseverance and practice, I will be able to secure a spot in the standings,” said the Malaybalay, Bukidnon native who works as a watchman in a banana mill.
Languido will be running alongside his first cousin Junel Languido, who won the MILO Marathon Cebu race title in October and posted one of the best 21-k division records of the season with a time of 1:11:56.
Completing the top 3 cast for today’s 21-k men’s division race are Jerald Zabala with 1:14:45 and Philip Dueñas with 1:16:26. In the distaff division, Vivian Avergonzaga finished second with 1:36:52, followed by Roxanne Maabang with 1:38:40.
For the school category awards, the Agusan National High School sent in 677 student runners to wrap the “Biggest School Delegation” plum, while Patin-ay National High School Agusan brought home the “Fastest School Delegation” award with an aggregate time of 23:48.57.
Both Miranda and Languido took home the P 10,000.00 top purse for winning the Butuan leg, and will lead several other qualifiers into the 36th MILO Marathon National Finals on December 9 at the SM Mall of Asia Grounds in Pasay City.
Apart from proving herself in the national athletic arena, Miranda seeks to encourage the youth to engage in sports by supporting MILO’s Help Give Shoes program. “I’d like to inspire young Filipinos to develop an interest in sports and to help them discover their potential to become the next generation of champions.”
Through its advocacy program called ‘Help Give Shoes’, which is now on its third year of staging, MILO donated a total of 500 shoes to public schools in the region as an ongoing commitment to develop the Filipino sports community. Students of Agay National High School, Amparo Central Elementary School, Agyabao Elementary School, Mahayahay Elementary School and Datin-ay National High School were among the campaign’s local beneficiaries. Since ‘Help Give Shoes’ conception, MILO has given over 22, 200 shoes to underprivileged children nationwide.
With the regional titleholders preparing for the upcoming National Finals, MILO and race organizer Runrio Inc. expect a full-on action-packed culmination to this year’s premier footrace. “Our athletes have given a well-rounded performance this season, and they deserve a perfectly structured race to challenge them in December. Our team is working around the clock to make sure that marathon runners and spectators alike will be treated to a quality competition,” said Robbie De Vera, MILO Sports Executive.
After the Butuan leg, the qualifying race will shift to Cagayan de Oro City on November 25 to wrap the last regional leg of the season. The 36th MILO Marathon National Finals will be on December 9 at the SM Mall of Asia Grounds in Pasay City.
The 36th MILO Marathon is made possible by Timex, the Bayview Park Hotel Manila, SM Mall of Asia and Reebok, along with partnerships with the Department of Education and the Philippine Olympic Committee. For more information on the race and its advocacy, visit the MILO marathon website or access the MILO Philippines fanpage on Facebook. Follow MILO on Twitter (@MILOPH).
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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 race is organized by RunRio, Inc.
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