Pinoys rule world’s highest obstacle race

MANILA, Philippines — Athletes from the Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation (POSF) made a lot of heads turn when they swept the top four places in the first World’s Highest Obstacle Course Race on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Elias Tabac and Tolitz Divina took the first two places in the men’s division while Sandi Abahan and Seannah Gutang booked a similar finish in the women’s side of the event that drew 42 athletes from 26 countries like Australia Denmark, Brazil, Russia, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and United States.

Thumbie Remigio, another athlete from the OCR Long team of the POSF, which is headed by Atty. Al Agra, placed fourth in the men’s side of the grueling competition.

The competitors needed seven days to reach the summit of the 5,896-meter Mount Kilimanjaro, a trek that is not part of the race but gave everybody the chance to acclimatize. Then they raced down for 23 kms from the crater to the finish line on a course that featured iconic obstacles.

Agra said the winners in the very unique challenge of crawling, running and climbing against the weather, terrain and altitude were determined by point system.

“We swept the competition the way our athletes swept all six golds in the 2019 SEA Games. Yes, we surely can,” said Agra.