Milo Marathon kicks off June 22 in Naga

The best and the brightest of the country’s top runners go at it again when a bigger, better 27th edition of the Milo Marathon comes off the wraps this year with a kick-off leg on June 22 in Naga City.

The annual event, considered as the country’s biggest and most prestigious long-distance running competition, was formally launched yesterday in a glitzy opening ceremony at the Bayview Hotel in Manila.

"We’re really happy we in Milo are given another opportunity to host this important event," said Milo sports executive Pat Goc-ong, who was accompanied by Milo brand manager Angel Umali and Nestle Philippines’ Eugene David.

"We hope that by holding this event, we can help generate a lot of interest and spread sports consciousness particularly in running," he added.

A total of 13 qualifying legs starting in Naga and ending in General Santos City on Sept. 14 are lined up for participants expected to exceed last year’s record attendance of 54,000 nationwide.

The meet will culminate in a national finals in Manila on Oct. 19 with a total purse of P2.7 million, including P75,000 each for the national men’s and women’s champions, at stake in this event bankrolled by Milo.

Aside from Naga and General Santos, the Milo Open also visits Roxas City (June 29), Tuguegarao (July 6), Tacloban (July 13), Lipa City (July 20), Metro Manila (July 27), Davao City (Aug. 3), Cagayan de Oro (Aug. 10), Olongapo (Aug. 17), Butuan City (Aug. 24), Cebu City (Aug. 31) and Baguio (Sept. 7).

Ben Silva-Netto, secretary-general of the track and field association, said they might use this tilt as one of the possible events in the selection of RP team members for this year’s 22nd Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam from Dec. 5 to 14.

"There is this possibility that the Milo Open will be used by PATAFA as one of the qualifying events for members of the RP team set to compete in Hanoi," said Silva-Netto, who represented his boss, Go Teng Kok.

While defending champion Eduardo Buenavista could opt to skip the Milo Open in favor of the Manila Marathon, tentatively set on June 22, reigning marathon SEAG gold medalist Roy Vence is all eyes on the Milo Open title.

"Basta ako sa Milo Marathon ang focus ko," said the 37-year-old Cebuano, who has competed in Hong Kong in February and the National Open in Manila last month.

A bonus of P25,000 awaits the runner who shatters the 2:20.00 barrier while a cool P10,000 goes to the runner who breaks the current men’s and women’s Milo Open record currently held by Buenavista (2:22.52) and Cristabel Martes (2:53.58).