Mabunga, Lacson rule Naga run

MANILA, Philippines - Jenismyll Mabunga and Ramie Lacson ruled their respective divisions in the Naga City leg of the Milo Marathon yesterday to clinch berths in the national finals slated in December in Manila.

Mabunga, last year’s 5K champion, proved her worth in the women’s 21K, winning way ahead of Janice Caritas and Joan Pallones with a 1:30:32 clocking.

Caritas and Pallones took the next two spots with times of 1:51:33 and 1:57:08, respectively.

Lacson, on the other hand, upstaged national team mainstay Allan Ballester as he copped the men’s 21K crown in 1:13:05.

Ballester clocked 1:15:14 for second while Allan Latoja finished third with a 1:18:15 clocking in the event which drew 7,725 participants.

Mabunga, 18, and Lacson will thus join 14 other regional qualifiers in the grand finals on Dec. 12.

Mayor John Bongat and Vice Mayor Gabby Bordado graced the awards rites of the event sponsored by Bayview Hotel, Gatorade, Nestle Pure Life, Brooks, Department of Tourism and WWWExpress.

Former Naga City mayor and now DILG Secretary Jessie Robredo took part in the 3K category with his family.

Some 160 pairs of shoes were also donated to the students of Teodora Moscoso Elementary School as part of the event’s sports advocacy aimed at helping the youth fulfill their dreams of going into sports.

Milo, headed by Pat Goc-Ong, is more than halfway through its goal of providing 4,000 running shoes.

For detail, log on to www.MILO.com.ph.