Belmonte bags 6th Milo 42K finals slot

  TAGBILARAN, Philippines—Dionesio Belmonte Jr. booked a sixth straight Milo Marathon national finals trip as he led 12 other qualifiers in the Tagbilaran 21K elimination Sunday.   The 25-year-old Belmonte Jr., who won all his five previous regional races in Tacloban,  clocked one hour, 15 minutes and 21 seconds to earn an all-expense paid trip to the Dec. 12 finals, a 42K race, in Manila.   Runner-up John Philip Duenas likewise beat the 1:15:00 standard male qualifying time with his 1:15:35 to also bag free travel.   “I was very happy that I won here despite limited practice and a difficult course,” said Belmonte in Filipino.    Cebu’s Joeyry Lee, 18, was the lone female qualifier after submitting 1:36:00.  She made the 18 to 24 age group time in her first half marathon try but was one minute short of the standard 1:35:00 for female.   Lee, who started running when she was 2 years old, has won several Milo marathon 5K and 10K events.   In Cebu last week, a total of 28 clinched finals seats, led by Adonis Singson and Mary Joy Tabal, who upset 2009 leg winner Madelyn Carter.   The oldest Cebu qualifier was 70-year-old Anciano Abella, who topped the 70-99 age group in 1:55:31.    So far, 198 have already plucked finals slots.    The next regional elimination races will be in Dumaguete (Sept. 19), Iloilo (Sept. 26), Naga (Oct. 3) and San Pablo City (Oct. 10).   Other qualifiers: Genesis Ebal (1:16:52), Ian Bernido (1:20:20), Joseph Penales (1:21:43), Piniel Tajos (1:25:39), Edwin Adame (1:27:19), Danrib Abrea (1:30:43), Jhomar Cahatian (1:30:58), Steven Ferraren (1:44:06), Ronberto Tolentino (1:38:10), Paulino Obra (2:03:26)