Africans pull near sweep in Camsur Int’l Marathon
PILI, Camarines Sur, Philippines—As expected, the crack foreign contingent reigned supreme Sunday with all but one of the top five places secured by sturdy African runners in the inaugural Camsur International Marathon here.
Not all winners went home triumphantly, though, as Asian Games bet Jho-An Banayag, the best local female finisher, risked losing her spot in the national team after defying a directive from the national athletics association.
Richard Kemeli Kemboi won with time of two hours, 19 minutes and 40 seconds to lead a fiery 1-2-4-5 Kenyan windup. Joel Kemboi finished second in 2:19:47, Henry Kipkosgei Cherono fourth in 2:22:59 and Joseph Wambua fifth in 2:23:43.
Ethiopia’s Taniku Aboste Bokan spoiled a Kenyan sweep by placing third in 2:20:54.
In the women’s race, Ethiopians took the first two places through Ayelu Lemma Geda, who clocked 2:40:05, and Radiya Adlo Roba, who came in 40 seconds later.
Geda and Roba also qualified for the 13th IAAF World Athletics Championships in South Korea in August next year after beating the qualifying time of 2:43:00.
The international athletics federation granted accreditation to the Camsur Marathon after its route passed its stringent international standards.
Russia’s Tatiana Villosova, a former steeplechase champion running in only her second marathon, broke the African juggernaut by seizing third spot in 2:46:52.
Kenyans Rael Jepyator Kamaiyo and Rose Chesire were fourth and fifth, respectively with clockings of 2:50:10 and 2:52:02, respectively.
The top five winners pocketed $7,000 (about P308,000), $4,000, $2,500, $1,000 and $500, in that order.
Banayag pocketed P125,000 for clocking 2:58:36. She said the amount will go a long way in helping her impoverished family.
“I’m the breadwinner,” said a teary-eyed Banayag after the awarding ceremony held outside the Pili Convention Center, where the 42K race was fired off at 4 a.m. “We really need the money, that’s why I competed here.”
Aware of her possible ouster from the Philippine team, the 28-year-old from Compostela Valley said she is leaving it all up to Go Teng Kok, president of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association.
“I will just talk to him and, maybe, he will reconsider,” said Banayag, who added there is still the Milo Marathon finals in December to look forward to in case she is barred from competing in the Asiad.
The Milo Marathon awards P300,000 to the grand finals winner.
Go told the Inquirer he wasn’t aware of Banayag’s participation, adding he has no choice but to remove Banayag from the RP roster.
“Tatanggalin ko s’ya (I will drop her) from the team,” said Go, who has barred the marathon bets from competing in a 42K event two months before a major tournament.
The Guangzhou Asiad starts on Nov. 12.
Mary Grace delos Santos (3:03:13) and Miscelle Gilbuena (3:10:07) were the other top Filipino finishers. The top three local male runners were Eric Panique (2:30:09), Irineo Raquin (2:31:46) and Cris Sabal (2:46:43).
The second and third placers also went home richer by P95,000 and P50,000, respectively.
The Filipinos averted a wipeout when national team member Julius Sermona outlasted his Kenyan pursuers to rule the men’s 21K race in 1:10:40.
Sermona said runners-up Philip Ronoh (1:11:42) and Anthony Kosgii (1:14:18) ganged up on him for most part of the race until he broke away in the final three kilometers.
Flodeliza Donos (1:19:08) and Mirasol Abad (1:29:14), a member of the Philippine duathlon team, placed 1-2 in the overall female category while Susan Jemutai, also from Kenya, was third in 1:31:28.
Gawad Kalinga, the Department of Health’s Organ Donor Card awareness drive, and K.I.D.S. Foundation were the beneficiaries of the Camsur race, which lured a total of 17,484 runners, including participants in the 3K, 5K and 10K distances.
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