INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?Even at his worst, Alley Quisay ended up a winner.

The veteran runner and one-time Southeast Asian Games campaigner clocked one hour, 15 minutes and 59 seconds to rule the 21K event of the ?New Balance Power Run? Raising Hope? Sunday at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

The 28-year-old Quisay was trailing four other runners, including runners-up and fellow Philippine Army bets Alquin Bolivar and Cresenciano Sabal, until the last 200 meters when he made a mad dash to the finish line.

Bolivar clocked 1:16:05 while Sabal, a three-time Milo Marathon champion, finished in 1:16:08.

?It was my worst finish,? Quisay, who was entered in the steeplechase event during the 2005 Manila Southeast Asian Games, said in Filipino. ?It was really a tight race and I had to give it all in the homestretch.?

Quisay?s best 21K time was 1:10:52 during the 2009 Condura run last March when he finished second behind National team member Eduardo Buenavista.

University of the East Physical Education teacher Marecil Maquilan led all the way to rule the distaff side in 1:27:33. The Elma Muros protégé is coming off three 10K victories in the last two weeks.

Ailene Tolentino placed second in 1:34:25 while Belle Grandinetti was third in 1:48:22.

The winners took home P10,000, P6,000 and P4,000.

The New Balance run was originally scheduled on Sept. 27 but was reset when Tropical Storm ?Ondoy? battered Luzon the day before.

Carewell Community, ICanServe Foundation, Philippine Cancer Society and Natasha Goulbourn Foundation were the beneficiaries of the event that raised some P400,000. The event was supported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Rider, Smart, 100Plus, Planet Sports, The Athletes Foot, Ipanema, Summit Mineral Water, Phiten, Dole, California Pizza Kitchen and Alaska.