THE PHILIPPINES will be the first stop of the five-nation Adidas King of the Road (KOTR), a running championship held each year across Southeast Asia.
The opening leg, slated July 7 at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, will feature the 16.8-kilometer race and two 10K categories.
The Closed category of the 16.8K distance is exclusive for Filipinos. The male and female winners will pocket the P25,000 cash prize and represent the country in the KOTR Southeast Asia championships in Malaysia on Oct. 20.
All nationalities will be eligible for the P35,000 top prize in the Open category.
Aside from the regular 10K distance, there will be a 10K Student’s Relay category for college and university students (one male and one female) 25 years old and younger. The 10K winner gets P15,000 while the winning pair pockets P10,000.
Last year, Filipino long-distance marvels Eduardo Buenavista and Mary Grace Delos Santos topped the SEA championships in Singapore.
Buenavista clocked 53 minutes and 12 seconds to beat Thai Sanchai Namkhet (55:07) while Delos Santos timed 1:00.52 in besting Thai Natthaya Thanaronnawat (1:04.18).
Other KOTR legs are scheduled on Aug. 11 in Singapore, Sept. 8 in Thailand and Sept. 29 in Indonesia.
Online registration is ongoing until June 23 through adidaskingoftheroad.com/ph (except for the 10KM relay).
Seven sites—Adidas stores in Greenbelt 3, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, Powerplant, Trinoma and Two Parkade (Bonifacio Global City) and Runnr at Bonifacio High Street—will accept registrations until June 30.
Race fees are P1,300 for the 16.8K race, P1,100 for 10K and P800 for the 10K students’ race.