Banayag sets new Milo Marathon mark; Sermona is new men's open champion

Two national tracksters who failed to make the grade for the Doha Qatar Asian Games won battles at home front yesterday, shining bright under intermittent weather in the 30th National Milo Marathon Finals.

Jho-an Banayag made a successful defense of her crown in record-breaking fashion while Julius Sermona pulled a coup by stunning fancied rivals for the men's crown in the prestigious 42.195k run starting and ending at the Rizal Park.

Meanwhile, Mary Rose Arman of University of Southern Philippines Foundation is the highest placed runner among the Cebu delegates, taking the eighth spot with a time of 3 hours and 32.4 minutes.

Arman made it to the finals after placing second to Hazel Madamba in the Butuan City elimination race.

Madamba went on to finish sixth overall in 3:21.20.

Another Cebuana Merlita Arias, who topped the Dumaguete City leg, was 10th placer in 3 hours and 35 minutes.

Cebu leg second placer Sharon Vega was 11th placer in 3 hours and 38 minutes and Madelyn Carter, the second placer in Dumaguete City, made an impressive debut in the 42K distance, with a 12th place finish in 3 hours and 43 minutes.

Proving so much for the oppositions, Banayag, a 25-year-old Compostella Valley native who placed fourth in the 2005 SEA Games marathon event, ran her own race and outdid herself as she shattered the course record of 2:53:58 set by Cristabel Martes in 2004.

Marathon experts said the cool, friendly weather kept Banayag fresh, helping her establish a new record of 2:48:16.

"I've lost them (her rivals) when I reached Buendia. I just challenged myself upon seeing the clock reading 2:33. I told myself I can break the record," said Banayag in vernacular.

The pint-sized runner out of University of Mindanao was bewildered after the race, saying she didn't even expect to win, wary of eventual second placer Flordeliza Carreon.

Carreon, a San Fernando qualifier, did make a good account of herself, too, as she also surpassed the old record, clocking 2:52:04.

The second runner-up honors went to Kidapawan qualifier Estela Diaz.

Banayag won the champion's purse of P75,000 plus a P10,000 bonus for her record-breaking feat. Carreon earned P50,000 and Diaz P30,000.

Having bought a tractor for her farmer father from her prize last year, Banayag said she intends to keep her money in the bank this time.

The other runners who made it to the top 10 were Aileen Tolentino of Manila at fourth in 3:00.13, Honey Jean Delfin of Roxas City in 3:20.17 for fifth, Catherine Reglos of Dagupan City in 3:24.32 and Geraldine Sealza of Baguio City in 3 hours and 34 minutes for ninth place.

If the women's race was a walk in the park for Banayag, the men's event was a bit challenging for Sermona, a national team middle distance specialist and an Air Force enlisted man, who barely eluded Bernardo Desamito and Allan Ballester in the last few kilometers.

Left in the coattails of Sermona, Desamito and Ballester was title-holder Cresenciano Sabal who faded away after the turn in Global City.

Apparently, Sabal's participations in last week's Yakult 16k run and the Global City 10k run the previous week took its toll on him.

Sermona, Desamito and Ballester took turns in setting the pace with Sabal left behind. They ran as one until Sermona, who bagged the silver in 5k and bronze in 10k in the 2005 Manila SEAG, made a daring move nearing the last three kilometers in Vito Cruz.

The Himamaylan native, an education graduate at the Binalbagan Catholic College, stepped up the pace and never looked back, checking in by his lonesome at the finish to cheers from his supporters led by Tinto Bascon, son of renowned Bacolod sports leader Dodong and Carminia, the Himamaylan mayor.

"I was really hoping to win because I had a good training for this," said Sermona, 28, who ruled the event in only his second try at it. He was seventh in 2001.

"When I was able to hang on with them (Desamito and Ballester), I really felt the championship would be mine. I have the advantage in speed since I'm a middle-distance runner," Sermona also said.

Sermona also earned P75,000 with Desamito settling for P50,000 as second placer and Ballester P30,000 as second runner-up.

Both Banayag and Sermona said their victory augured well for their early preparation for the 2006 SEA Games in Bangkok.

"I want to win a medal for our country," said Banayag.

"I've won a bronze and a silver in the SEA Games. It will surely be more fulfilling winning a gold," said Sermano, who still intends to concentrate on middle-distance events for the national team despite his Milo Marathon triumph.

Completing the top 10 are Rogelio Sarmiento of Cavite at fourth (2:26.04), Elmer Sabal of Manila at fifth (2:28.51), Rene Desuyo of Bacolod at sixth (2:29.36), defending champion Cresencio Sabal of Manila at seventh (2:29.50), Mamerto Cruz of Manila at eighth (2:30.21), Rio dela Cruz of Cabanatuan at ninth (2:31.10) and Eric Panique of Bacolod at 10th (2:31.20). - Rafael S. Alas III