Canada, 22, a graduate of Camarines Norte State College, took the lead at the 6K mark and was never pressured en route to a solo finish in 1:13:49. That was worth P10,000 and a second opportunity to compete in the national Milo Marathon 42K finals in Manila.
"Noong 1997 pa ako huling tumakbo, naka 11th pa ako sa regional run. Tapos, nag-stop ako para mag-concentrate sa studies ko, this year lang ako bumalik sa running di nga ako makasiguro dito dahil di ko alam kung sino ang mga ibang kasali," said Canada who will be running his first full marathon in December.
Last year’s fourth placer Ernie Payong, 29, from San Jose, Camarines Sur, moved two notches higher as he finished second to Canada in the 20K event of the Milo Marathon, co-sponsored this year by Bayview Park Hotel, Adidas, Ford Phils., Cebu Pacific and Department of Tourism.
"One month lang ensayo kaya kinapos ako sa last 5K, nakalayo yung lead runner pero pag-eensayuhan ko ’yung national finals," said Payong, who negotiated the 20K distance in 1:14:32.
Armyman Leonardo Cabada, based at Camp Martillano in Camarines Sur, took third place and earned the final men’s division seat for the Milo Marathon finals clocking 1:14:50 for the distance. He won P4,000 to Payong’s P6,000 cash prize.
In the women’s division of the race fired off by City Mayor Jessie Robredo, right across the city plaza, Luisa Raterta, formerly from Laguna but now based in Legazpi, Albay, likewise had a successful comeback from a one-year absence after giving birth last year.
The 21-year-old Raterta, who finished second in the 2000 Milo regional run in Calapan, left the opposition at the turning point and made it a one-woman race, clocking 1:40:08 to runner-up Maricel Pababero’s 1:44:15, receiving P10,000 for her effort.
"Talagang pinaghandaan ko ito, akala ko nga may malalakas na mga kalaban. Itutuloy ko na ito, balik-takbo uli ako," said Raterta, a noted runner together with her identical twin Lisa Yambao.
Pababero, 16, from Poblacion Uno, Camarines Norte, surprised even herself with her second place finish.
"First time ko mag-join sa Milo run, top 10 nga lang inaasahan ko. Malakas masyado yung first, di ko kayang habulin," she said.
She went home P6,000 richer but forfeited her seat in the finals for being underaged. Fifth placer Ana Vargas will take Pababero’s place as the fourth placed runner was also underaged.