SAN FERNANDO, La Union – Julius Sermona used his vast experience to the hilt and won the 18th leg of the National Milo Marathon that started and ended in front of City Hall.
A veteran of numerous international competitions, including the 2005 Southeast Asian Games in Manila and the Asian Grand Prix, Sermona dominated the race right from the start, clocking 1:08.34 to book a trip to the finals on Nov. 30 in Manila where the champion wins P75,000.
“I prepared hard for this because I wanted to make it back to the finals. I ‘m happy I won,”said Sermona, who won P10,000.
Alley Quisay, Ilocandia’s pride from the fishing town of Bolinao, Pangasinan, was second in 1:12.34 while Ireneo Raquin came in third in 1:15.40.
Quisay and Raquin join Sermona in the finals where they will match running skills against provincial winners and other qualifiers.
Quisay and Raquin challenged Sermona early in the race, but lost steam as the 21-k distance wore on, enabling the 30-year-old wiry runner from Negros Occidental to romp away with the victory watched by a big Sunday crowd that included Vice Mayor Pancrasio Nisce who fired the starting gun assisted by Nestle AVP and Milo sports executive Pat Goc-Ong, race organizer Joseph Dumuk and race executive director Rudy Biscocho.
“I tried to catch up but he was just too fast,” said Quisay, an enlisted Army man.
Asked of his chances in the finals, Sermona refused to comment, adding his winning chance is something like scaling a mountain with the presence of the country’s foremost runners.
He picked defending champion Cresenciano Sabal and former ruler Eduardo Buenavista as the runners to beat.
“Sabal and Buenavista are strong runners but I’ll do the best I can to win,” said Sermona, surrounded by his admirers.
Geraldine Sealza shared honors with Sermona by ruling the distaff side in 1:45.00 well ahead of Rosario Alberto (2:08.21) and Rachele Ay-yad (2:14.32).
Sealza, Alberto and Ay-yad, who won P10,000, P6,000 and P4,000, respectively, advanced to the finals.
Hostilities shift to Ilocos Norte on Sunday for the 19th stop of the country’s longest running footrace held in partnership with Department of Tourism, Adidas and Bayview Park Hotel.