Star-studded run
Country’s top runners Poliquit, Buenavista, Tabal to take part in SM2SM Run
A TOUGH contest will be expected in the SM2SM Run on Feb. 22 as the country’s top runners will be gracing the event, which will start at SM City Cebu.
The 21-kilometer men’s local division will be an exciting race between the reigning Milo Marathon king Rafael Poliquit Jr. of Davao City and five-time Milo Marathon champion Eduardo Buenavista of South Cotabato.
The two elite runners faced off in the 2014 National Milo Marathon Finals two months ago, where Poliquit dethroned Buenavista as the Milo Marathon king. The latter reigned the race in the years 2002, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013.
The two-time and reigning Milo Marathon queen Cebuana Mary Joy Tabal was informed by Buenavista about his registration.
“Buenavista told me that he is already registered for the SM2SM run. This will be one of his few races in Cebu. The local division will be a race to watch out for,” said Tabal.
“He (Buenavista) is the current 42K record holder in the country with a time of 2:18 he got in Japan last 2004, and that record stands unbroken,” she said.
Tabal said that he saw Poliquit at the Condura Marathon, and told Tabal that he will be joining the coming race in Cebu.
Tabal and Buenavista represented the country in the Schneider Electric Marathon de Par- is at the Champs-Elysees in Paris last year. Tabal finished the 42K race as 17th overall in the women’s division while Buenavista checked in 42nd overall in the men’s division.
This year, Tabal will be going with Poliquit, who won his first Milo Marathon crown last year, to the L.A Marathon on March 15.
Tabal said she will be joining the 21K division of the SM2SM run as part of her preparation for the L.A Marathon.
The coming race would be her fifth race for the year, the previous four races were all podium finishes.
With big cash prizes on the local categories, the top local runners are now preparing for this race.
The local 21K will have the biggest pot with P60,000 each for the winners in the men’s and women’s division.
The 21K foreign category, on the other hand, will award P15,000 to the men’s and women’s winners.
Cebuano Noel Tillor, the fifth placer in men’s local division of the Milo Marathon Finals, has also confirmed his participation in the race.
Davaoeño and Cebu-based runner Elmer Bartolo also said after winning the 21K men’s local division in the 2015 Cebu City Marathon that he eyes the SM2SM Run as his next big race. Tabal’s long-time coach John Philip Dueñas has also registered.
The organizers are expecting 4,000 participants on race day, the same number as last year. Race director Joel Baring of Sports and Fitness Enthusiasts (Safe) will be tasked to handle the technical aspects of the race.
The event is for the benefit of the Children of Cebu Foundation, Inc., Cebu Newspaper Workers Foundation, Inc. (Cenewof) and SM Cares VillageBogo City.
Registration fees are at P750 for the 21K, P600 for the 12K, and P400 for the 6K and 3K.
Entry forms are available at the Sports Avenue, SM Upper Ground Floor (near Sunburst) and Upper Ground Floor (between the SM Store & Ace Hardware).