INQUIRER Sports

FILIPINO RUNNERS WILL have a chance to gauge the strength of their counterparts in the Laos Southeast Asian Games when they compete in the first Quezon City International Marathon on October 18.

Inquiries from Kenya, home of world champions like Paul Kibii Tergat and Beijing Olympic winner Sammy Wanjiru, are also pouring in, according to organizers of the event that will be part of the city?s 70th anniversary celebration.

?Our vision is to make the QCIM at par with the world?s major marathons,? said Art Disini, chair of Executive Runners Club (Runnex) at the event?s launch at Max?s Restaurant at QC Memorial Circle yesterday.

Runnex is managing the event jointly with Finishline and Entraineur of former University of the Philippines athletics coach Rio dela Cruz.

QCIM communications head Ron delos Reyes said the national track and field association is inviting runners from the region, including 2007 champs Sunisa Sailomyen of Thailand and Yahuza Yahuza of Indonesia, to the 42K race, which will start and finish at the circle.

The men?s and women?s winners will get P300,000 each.

QC Mayor Sonny Belmonte, running enthusiast Sen. Pia Cayetano, Runnex president Rudy Fernandez and city administrator Jojo Ochoa also graced the marathon?s launch.

?We are hoping to fire up interest in running and sports in general in Quezon City,? said Belmonte.