Languido, Tabal win in biggest 39th National MILO Marathon Gen San race

Reigning MILO Marathon Queen and SEA Games medalist Mary Joy Tabal and MILO Marathon veteran Juneil Languido breezed through the running routes at the National MILO Marathon qualifying leg in General Santos on Sunday. About 9,000 runners joined the race, making this year’s MILO Marathon the biggest fun run in General Santos, to date.

Languido and Tabal each took home the top prize of P10,000 in cash and a trophy; and earned their slots to the National MILO Marathon Finals. The finals will be held in Angeles on December 6, where they will meet the nation’s elite runners in a heated grand finale to claim the MILO Marathon King and Queen titles. To provide another level of prestige to the competition and incentive for the runners, this year’s King and Queen will be sent by MILO to the USA on all-expense paid trips, for a chance to run in the prestigious 2016 Boston Marathon.

Languido posted a time of 01:14:04, overcoming his rivals Elmer Bartolo (01:16:47) and Gilbert Maluyo (01:20:42) who finished in second and third place, respectively. In the distaff side, Tabal ruled with a time of 01:21:42, relegating Mona Liza Ambasa (01:35:03) to second place and Noemu Andrea Galeos (01:52:44) in third.

The 31-year-old farms watchman has been running in the MILO Marathon for four years now, consistently winning in the regional legs. Last year, he placed first in Cagayan De Oro. This is his third time to win in General Santos. “My training for this race has not been that good, so I have to improve for the National Finals. My goal is to get into the top 10,” shared Languido. “It would be a great achievement if I could accomplish it, because the MILO Marathon is where the best and the strongest runners compete.”

Fresh from guiding her grassroots students who competed in the MILO Marathon Cebu leg, it was Tabal’s turn to showcase her prowess on the race routes. It is the 26-year-old Cebuana sixth time to join the MILO Marathon, and she aims to defend her title in the National Finals. “It’s my first time to race in GenSan, and it’s a good experience for me to experience the other regional legs in Visayas in Mindanao,” shared Tabal. “I joined this race as part of my training for the finals, to test my progress. So far, I’m on track in my training, but I’m continuously working on my conditioning to have a better chance of retaining my crown.”

The National MILO Marathon is not only a breeding ground for local talents but also a program that empowers underserved children nationwide. With the support of the Department of Education and the National MILO Marathon runners, MILO’s Help Gives Shoes advocacy will provide 10,000 underprivileged youth with brand new running shoes this year. MILO is working with DepEd in the selection of deserving public school student beneficiaries.

The race will resume in in Davao on November 8, before heading to Butuan (November 15) and Cagayan De Oro (November 22). The National Finals will be held on December 6 in Angeles, Pampanga.

The 39th National MILO Marathon is made possible by Timex, the Bayview Park Hotel Manila, ASICS, Smart and Maynilad, along with endorsements from the Department of Education, Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

For more information on MILO Philippines, log on to the official website (http://www.milo.com.ph) or the MILO Philippines Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/milo.ph). Follow MILO on Twitter (@MiloPH) and Instagram (@MiloPhilippines).

About MILO

The MILO brand is the world’s leading chocolate malt beverage that can be prepared with hot or cold milk or water. MILO also promotes participation in sports through its Summer Sports Clinics, MILO-B.E.S.T. Center Training Program, MILO Marathon, and MILO Little Olympics. The leading beverage brand believes that these contribute to the holistic development of Filipino champions in sports and in life.

About the National MILO Marathon

The National MILO Marathon is an annual marathon event open to amateur and professional runners. From its humble beginnings in 1974 as a single marathon race in Metro Manila attended by 747 participants, the National MILO Marathon has grown to be the biggest, longest, grandest national running event in the country attracting more than hundreds of thousands of runners across the country.

The National MILO Marathon has grown into a globally renowned running event having been certified by the Association of International Marathons (AIMS) and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), and hosts foreign marathoners from Kenya, Ethiopia, and other countries across the world. The race is organized by RunRio, Inc.

About Nestle Philippines

Over a hundred years after it first started operations in the country, Nestle Philippines, Inc. (NPI) today is a robust and stable organization, proud of its role in bringing the best food and beverage throughout the stages of the Filipino consumers’ lives. The Company employs nearly 4,000 men and women nationwide, and is now among the country’s Top 8 Corporations. Driven by its mission to nurture generations of Filipino families, Nestle today produces and markets products under some of the country’s well-known brands such as NESCAFE, NIDO, MILO, NESTEA, MAGGI, BEAR BRAND, NESTLE and Purina, among others. Its product range has expanded to include coffee, milk, beverages, non-dairy creamer, food, infant nutrition, ice cream and chilled dairy, breakfast cereals, confectionery and pet care.

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