Neri, Miranda score 1st wins in Milo marathon

Ramil Neri of Malaybalay, Bukidnon and Judelyn Miranda of Compostela Valley finally scored breakthrough victories yesterday in the 32nd National Milo Marathon 21-kilometer elimination race in Butuan City.

After years of frustration and finishing a dismal seventh place in the Iligan City leg last year, Neri outsprinted last year’s Cebu leg champion Mendel Lopez and Jesse Geraldez down the wire to claim his first Milo Marathon leg championship.

“That was a close race, I pulled away only in the final stretch,” said the 20-year-old Neri, who finished the race in 1 hour, 17 minutes , 53 seconds.

Lopez settled for second (1:18:14) and Geraldez third (1:18:24).

Neri, Lopez, Geraldez and the top three finishers in the women’s 21K race will advance to the Milo Marathon grand finale on Nov. 30 in Metro Manila where the qualifiers from other legs and defending champions Cresenciano Sabal and Flordeliza Carreon await them.

Former leg winners Jonard Comonong and Reynante Villarma failed to earn return tickets to the national finals as they finished seventh and eighth, respectively.

The distaff side of this annual foot race held in partnership with Bayview Park Hotel Manila, Adidas and the Department of Tourism was ruled by Miranda, who also won for the first time.

Miranda placed second in Davao City three times before deciding to join the qualifying race yesterday in Butuan City where she bested the women’s field that included former leg champions Mary Rose Arman, Helen Tacling and Hazel Madamba.

Miranda breasted the tape in 1:32:31. Tacling, who ruled the Cagayan de Oro leg two years ago, placed second in 1:34:42. The veteran Madamba, a many-time leg winner, settled for third place in 1:35:51.

Arman, last year’s Butuan leg champion, failed to make the cut, finishing fourth in 1:39:33.