Repeat Milo Marathon win for Delos Santos

MARY Grace Delos Santos, striding confidently, proved her victory in last year’s National Milo Marathon was no fluke by dominating the women’s 42K race yesterday at SM Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay.

Relentlessly working to improve her form the past two years, the 25-year-old Zamboangueña underlined her status as the country’s current marathon queen with a personal best time of two hours, 49 minutes and 29 seconds.

Kenyan James Tallam also pulled off a repeat in the international men’s division with three-time champion Eduardo Buenavista emerging as top finisher in the local race.

Local runners competed in a category of their own for the first time this year in the wake of the growing number of foreign participants in the race. But for Delos Santos, it hardly mattered as she pulled away to stay at the 18 km mark.

Running under ideal conditions, she bested a strong roster that included Southeast Asian Games veteran and two-time champion Jho-An Banayag, who settled for second with a 2:55:56 clocking, and Kenya’s Everline Atancha, who checked in third at 3:03:39.

Delos Santos said her victory was a reward for all her hard work in the past two years. She joined races at every opportunity while using the disappointment of not making the Southeast Asian Games team last year as a motivation to improve further.

“I’m just maintaining my focus in training and it showed in this race,” said Delos Santos, whose coach, Roy Vence, is a six-time champion of the country’s most prestigious footrace.

Buenavista’s clocking of 2:29:45 ranked only fourth overall behind Tallam (2:26:34), Josphat Too (2:28:52) and Alex Melly (2:29:06) who completed a 1-2-3 finish for Kenyan runners.

Completing the top three in the local race were early favorites Eric Panique (2:32:08) and last year’s fifth placer Jason Agravante (2:34:58).

“The Kenyans always pose a great challenge for us,” said Buenavista.

Also grabbing the limelight was 23-year-old Mary Joy Tabal, who topped the women’s local 42K race by checking in at 3:05:12.

The victory sustained Tabal’s impressive run the last two years, which included a victory in the 2011 adidas King of the Road Southeast Asia race and her record-breaking feat in the Singapore Sundown Marathon.

Four-time champion Christabel Martes wound up second with a 3:10:46 time, while Jennilyn Nobleza (3:22:03) settled for third.

Tallam and De los Santos each received P300,000 from the 42K Open category race, while Buenavista and Tabal took home P150,000 from the 42K Local category run.

The event lured 210,000 runners, surpassing last year’s attendance by about 10,000.

In the 21K race, Kenya’s David Kipsang took the title in the international men’s category with a clocking of 1:12:23, while Jackline Nzivo conquered the distaff division in 1:26:48. Rounding out the Top 3 were Rafael Poliquit (1:12:58) and Denis Isika (1:13:43).

Manila eliminations 21K winner Nhea Ann Barcena (1:30:55) and Janet Lumidao (1:33:28) ended up second and third, respectively in the women’s division.

The men’s 21K Local category run was topped by Immuel Camino (1:15:25), while Jocelyn Elijeran topped the women’s race in 1:43:03.