University of Southeastern Philippines bagged the Inter-School Team Running Competition title of the 34th National Milo Marathon-Davao City Elimination Run, August 29.
The USEP runners clocked a total of 11 hours, 15 minutes and 53 seconds, besting the team from Sta. Ana National High School which accumulated a time of 11:23:44 which cop second place.
Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School came in third in 11:41:32.
Willy James Itoc, 12, and nine-year-old Dynamie Jaro won the three-kilometer age-group contest to share top honors.
Itoc crossed the line in 12 minutes and seven seconds to beat second placer Kecir Abigon by five seconds. Val Diez finished third in 12:30 in the boy’s division.
Jaro defeated her elder sister Cecel, 11, after arriving first in 19 minutes and 27 seconds, a minute and four seconds better. Nine-year-old Frencis Dayot came in third in 20:24 in the girl’s class.
Rolly Paderma Jr. and 16-year-old Meezel Cabreros dominated the five-kilometer run while Michael Constantino and Cresilyn Jaro took the 10-K men’s and women’s titles, respectively.
As expected, national team member Jho-ann Banayag had an easy time in the qualifying 21-K race to advance to the national finals on December 12.
She finished the race in one hour, 20minutes and 57 seconds, followed by April Rose Diaz (1:45:12) at second place and Emely Avergonzado (1:46:01) at the third spot in the women’s division.
The 29-year-old Banayag, the women’s champion in 2005 and 2006, is getting ready, too, for the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China in November and has set her eyes on a medal, being the country’s 42-kilometer record holder.
Brian Lupio, third placer in this year’s 10-K event of the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) National Games in Manila for Holy Cross of Davao College, also advanced to the national finals after checking in at 1:14:39 in the men’s division. Reynante Villarma settled for second place and Anthony Nerza was third.
Milo Sports executive Pat Goc-ong awarded the prizes to the winners. [Moses P. Billacura]
