First-time winners hog Milo spotlight
ROMULO Balinas and Lorena Blanco bagged their first victories over the 21-kilometer distance in the Iloilo qualifier of the 39th National Milo Marathon yesterday.
Balinas clocked 1 hour, 17 minutes and 13 seconds in ruling the male division, besting Bennis Murillo (1:18:04) and Norlan Warizal (1:19:20).
Blanco finished in 1:47:55 in the distaff side, followed by Mellanay Rojas (1:52:06) and Merlyn Lumagbas (1:52:28).
Balinas, a La Salle Bacolod graduate, said cramps slowed him towards the finish.
“I’m glad I still crossed the finish line first even though I knew I was losing speed,” said Balinas. “The cramps slowed me down in the last five kilometers but I was able to cope up with the pain.”
Blanco, 42, said she didn’t expect to beat the elite and much younger runners.
“It never occurred to me that I would be able to outpace them,” said Blanco, a graduate of the Milo running clinics.
Balinas and Blanco pocketed P10,000 each and earned slots to the National Finals set Dec. 6 in Angeles City.
The qualifying run will resume in Bacolod on Sept. 27.