Cebu’s Leszl Lumindas-Gitaruelas finished fourth in the women’s open division of the 22nd Mt. Kinabalu International Climbaton in Sabah, Malaysia yesterday.
Gitaurelas was the best among the four members of the Philippine Sky Runner Team that includes Merlita Arias, Mona Liza Ambasa and Maria Estela Diaz. Arias finished ninth; Ambasa came in twelfth. There was no report about Diaz as of this writing.
By finishing fourth, Gitaurelas more than made up for her debacle last year when she gave up due to exhaustion.
This time, Gitaurelas and her teammates left the country earlier this month to get acclimatized and become familiar with the course. Their preparation paid off as the team had a respectable showing.
Like in the past, this year’s competition involved running up and down steep and dangerous edges of Mount Kinabalu for a total distance of 21 kilometers.— Caecent No-ot Magsumbol