Cebu runners seek Milo 42K finals berths

IT WILL be the turn of Cebuano runners to vie for national finals slot when the 36th Milo Marathon brings its qualifying race to the Visayan city  tomorrow.

The premiere 21K race will fire off at 4:30 a.m. infront of Cebu Normal University in Osmeña Blvd.  The 10K race follows at 5 a.m. and the 5K and 3K events at 5:30 a.m.

The 21K finishers who will meet the qualifying time will head to Manila on Dec. 9 for the 42K finals slated at SM Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay.  The finals champion will take home P300,000.

Over 350 have qualified so far after 10 legs, including three-time champion Eduardo Buenavista.

The Visayas leg will hold two more stops—Bacolod on Oct. 14 and Iloilo City on Oct. 28—before commencing its Mindanao stage in Gen. Santos City on Nov. 4.

Like the previous qualifying legs, the Cebu event will hold a cheerdance competition.

“We are expecting about 22,000 runners and we would like to give all of them the best experience all throughout the event,”  said race organizer Ricky Ballesteros.  “Of course we also want to select the best representative for the region in the national finals.”

Milo’s Help Give Shoes advocacy program has already benefitted 19,700 underprivileged school children nationwide. Another 500 pairs of shoes will be given tomorrow to students of Camp Lapu-Lapu Elementary School, Liloan National High School, Cabangcalan National High School,  Mabolo Elementary School and City Central School.

“Fostering bright futures through the Milo Marathon is only the beginning,” said said Milo Sports’ Andrew Neri.  “We will continue to create opportunities for talents young and old to accomplish their aspirations.”