LAOAG City—Mary Joy Tabal remained the country’s undisputed queen and Rafael Poliquit regained the men’s throne in the 42nd National Milo Marathon Finals the duo dominated with ease before a big and enthusiastic Sunday morning crowd that flocked the Laoag Centennial Arena here.
Tabal clocked two hours, 56 minutes and 31 seconds in claiming her sixth Milo National Marathon crown she snatched with plenty to spare.
Poliquit was as dominant in the men’s race. He crowned himself as the Milo Marathon King—alongside Tabal’s Marathon Queen tiara—with a time of 2:28:47, numbers that got him back the titles he won in 2014 and 2015.
The Cebuana was tactical during the entire 42.195-kilometer race that her opponents hardly kept up with the stride that earned her a stint in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics two years ago.
“I’m happy because I’m free of injury. I’m glad I finished the race unscathed,” Tabal said.
Although her time was below the personal best of 2:43:31 she booked for that ticket to Rio in a qualifier in Canada, she still finished comfortably ahead of the other podium finishers that she had the luxury of posing for a victory smile for photographers when she breasted the tape.
The 29-year-old Tabal was some three minutes faster than Cristabel Martes, a former National Milo Marathon Finals winner who crossed in 2:59.29. Further back to complete the podium was Christine Hallasgo (3:06:16).
Cramps bother Tabal in the 15-km mark when the sun had yet to rise rendering the early stretched of the race dark. But instinct and the experience she packs kept her poise intact on the way to banking the champion’s purse of P150,000.
If Tabal missed breaking her personal best, Poliquit was in an attack mode. He broke his career best by some three minutes and like Tabal, was also three minutes faster that Jerald Zabala (2:31:25) and five minutes more composed than Richard Salaño (2:33:17).
With their victories, Tabal and Poliquit became the top seeds for the national team the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association will field for the 30th Southeast Asian Games the country is hosting in November next year.
Romnick Dago, meanwhile, clocked 1:10:12 to top the men’s 21K with Sonny Wagdos (1:14:49) and Alley Quisay (1:16:26) placed second and third, respectively.
Aileen Tolentino was the fastest in the women’s 21K with a time of 1:30:51, with Nhea Anne Barcena (1:31:16) and Criselyn Jaro (1:38:42) completing the podium.
The race was held in conjunction of the celebration of the bi-centennial anniversary of the city. The route snake through Laoag City’s scenic tourist spots the La Paz Sand Dunes.