Wagdos, Miranda show Davaoeño class in 39th National MILO Marathon Davao race

Davaoeños Sonny Wagdos and Judelyn Miranda grabbed the top spots of the 21K centrepiece event at the National MILO Marathon qualifying leg in Davao City on Sunday. The city known as the Crown Jewel of Mindanao saw about 8,500 runners grace the running routes in the biggest and grandest running event in the country. Reigning MILO Marathon King Rafael Poliquit, who is already automatically qualified for the finals having won the 2014 MILO Marathon tilt, also gave his legs a stretch out in the Davao race.

Wagdos and Miranda 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.

Despite the challenging new race route, Wagdos excelled in his category as he posted a time of 01:15:25, beating his rivals Michale Achalico (01:15:56) and Manny Marfil (01:19:34) who finished in second and third place, respectively. In the distaff side, Miranda clinched first place with a time of 01:32:57, relegating Madelyn Carter (01:48:19) to second place and Hazelvic Villanueva (01:52:07) in third place.

This race is Wagdos’ second championship crown in Davao. The 21-year-old 4th year student of Univeristy of Mindanao has been running since he was in elementary. “I got into running because I really wanted to study and finish a degree. I was able to get scholarships because of my passion,” he shared. “I always have to focus on academics so I’m not always 100% in training. This year’s race route is also quite difficult because of the uphill parts. Fortunately, I still won the race. I’m so happy.

Miranda, on the other hand, has won a total of six regional leg champion crowns - three in Butuan, and three in Davao. Like Wagdos, she has been running since she was a child, and joined her schools’ track and long distance running varsity teams. She has been joining the MILO Marathon with her elder sister for 20 years now. “For this race, I trained in the mountains, so I was prepared to face the uphill route,” she shared. “It was quite hard to balance my training time with my work shifts, so I am very proud of this victory. I would also like to dedicate this win to my uncle who just passed away.”

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 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.

Like this post? Subscribe to Manila Life by Email
Like Manila Life on Facebook to be updated.