Hallasgo vows to keep SEAG marathon crown

MANILA, Philippines — The race has just started for reigning Southeast Asian Games marathon queen Christine Hallasgo.

Brimming with patience and confidence with still six months left before her title defense, Hallasgo said she is on course to hit full form in time for the 31st edition of the biennial meet in May in Vietnam.

Hallasgo showed a glimpse of that potential during the Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships in Baguio by finishing the women’s 10,000-meter run in 38 minutes and 22.54 seconds for the gold medal.

It’s way ahead of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) qualifying standard of 44:59 and slighlty behind her personal best of 36:50, a mark that she is out to close in on down the road.

“That’s a good enough time with only two months of preparation for our first race in a while,” said Hallasgo on the return of full athletics action for the first time since 2019.

“My counterparts may have been clocking better times as of now but I’m not losing hope in the hunt for the gold. It’s a motivation and challenge. There are still six months left,” she added.

Hallasgo, the Malaybalay, Bukidnon native, ruled the 30th SEAG and Milo Marathon national finals before the pandemic paralyzed sporting activities here and abroad.

She has been shelved into individual training in Bukidnon for over a year before being called back to national training camp in Baguio last October.

Hallasgo will have a short break for the holidays with her family but is determined to hit full stride when the national team moves training to Philsports in Pasig in January.