INQUIRER Sports

REIGNING CHAMPIONS Eduardo Buenavista and Mercedita Manipol-Fetalvero are expected to beat the challenge of 235 qualifiers in the 33rd National Milo Mara-thon 42K finals slated October 11 in Manila.

The Laos Southeast Asian Games-bound Buenavista, the 2002 and 2008 champion, will try to duplicate the feats of three-time grand winners Jimmy de la Torre and Wilfredo Ballester.

Buenavista holds the Milo record of 2:18.33 which he registered during the 2007 National Capital Region elimination. He clocked 2:23:37 in last year’s finals.

Fetalvero topped the 32nd edition with a personal best of 2:58:38.

NCR qualifiers Rene Desuyo and 2005 SEA Games marathon winner Christabel Martes, also the 1999-2001 champion, are among the 160 men and 75 women who met the qualifying time in the 26-leg nationwide elimination.

Organizers introduced qualifying marks this year—1:15:00 for men and 1:35:00 for women—to improve the quality of competition.

Other prominent men’s qualifiers include six-time champion Roy Vence, 2000-2001 titlist Allan Ballester, Alley Quisay, Bernardo Desamito Jr., Rogelio Sarmiento, Ronald Despi, Reynaldo de los Reyes and brothers Cresenciano, Gerald and Elmer Sabal.

Out to dethrone Fetalvero are Jho-Ann Banayag, holder of the RP women’s record of 2:48:16; Ailene Tolentino, Geraldine Sealza, Librada Tamson, Meshelle Villanueva, Maricel de la Peña and Rosario Alberto.

Aside from the 169 NCR-based qualifiers, the other finalists will be flown and housed in Manila, all-expenses paid.

The cities of Santiago (Isabela) and Tagbilaran (Bohol) did not produce qualifiers in both divisions while Cebu and NCR registered the biggest number of entries in the elimination races with more than 20,000 runners.

The men’s and women’s division champions will pocket P75,000 each and glass trophies.

National Milo Marathon organizer Rudy Biscocho said registration for the side events (21K, 10K, 5K and the 3K kiddie run) is ongoing until Oct. 5 at No. 51 Annapolis Street, Greenhills, San Juan; Planet Sports, Rockwell Plaza; and Mizuno outlets at Bonifacio High Street and Trinoma.