Small ones create big splash in final

In the absence of the big guns, the small ones had a field day in the 42 km national finals of the 27th Milo Marathon yesterday. Crisanto Camillo, a Navyman from Iligan City, finally dropped his bridesmaid tag when he won the men’s division while Liza Yambao, a student from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, kept her perfect record this year by winning the distaff side at the Quirino Grandstand.

The country’s top long-distance runners, like Roy Vence and Christabel Martes, skipped the event as they’re busy preparing for the Vietnam SEA Games in December. Even Eduardo Buenavista and Geraldine Sealza, last year’s winners, did not join the race normally held in December.

But their absence will not take anything away from the two winners who agonized for more than two hours covering the 42 km route that took them to as far as the Ortigas flyover. They won it with all their heart and will cherish the victories with so much pride.

For Canillo, who will represent the country in the Singapore International Marathon in December, the victory came as planned. He finished third in 2000, second in 2001 and finally went all the way this time. He did not join last year because he saw action in the Singapore footrace.

"It’s hard to win in Singapore because the Kenyans are there. But here, I knew the big guns were not around," he said.

After being flagged off at 4:30 a.m., Canillo made his move climbing the SM Megamall flyover along Edsa and left the opposition behind on his way to victory. He clocked 2:31:07, far from Buenavista’s national record of 2:22:52, but just the same took home the P75,000 top prize.

"It will be used to help build a house," said Canillo, a father to a 10-month-old, in Pilipino. He is 27 years old, stands 5-foot-4, weighs 48 kgs and has a best time of 2:26:40.

"I never looked back the moment I left the others behind. I went all the way," added the national team mainstay who was followed by Noel Bautista (2:33:22) and Reynaldo delos Reyes (2:34:45).

Only the name Rey Antoque, also a marathon champion, rings a bell from within the top 10. He finished seventh more than eight minutes behind the gallant winner.

Yambao, for her part, was hardly noticed crossing the finish line as the runners in the 10 km side event joined her on the final turn fronting Manila Hotel. She timed 3:06:06, also way off the national record, and will take home P75,000.

Yambao, a 22-year-old Commerce student at Santo Tomas, broke loose early in the race and was never threatened the rest of the way. Coming in second was Estela Diaz at 3:10:58 followed by Christy Sevillano at 3:11:22.

Yambao also won the Pasig River Marathon last February and the Metro Manila elims of the prestigious Milo race last August. She has a twin sister, Luisa, who won the 20 km Naga elims, but did not come to Manila for the national finals.

"She got sick and couldn’t make it. We could have made it one-two," she said, before assuring mediamen that it was Liza, and not Luisa, speaking before them.