Lopez carves name in stone Cebuano long distance runner wins first ever Bohol Marathon

PANGLAO ISLAND, BOHOL , Philippines  — Cebuano long distance runner Mendel Lopez etched his name his stone after winning the first ever Bohol Marathon starting and ending at the Bohol Beach Club here yesterday.

 The vaunted Kenyans also joined the race but the organizing Bohol Runners Club (BRC) listed them as guest runners to give chance to the Pinoy bets.

 Lopez, the fastest Cebuano finisher in last month's Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines, completed the lung-busting 42-kilometer battle in two hours, 47 minutes and 40 seconds, way ahead of Iligan City's Jeffrey Sotto who clocked in 2:49:37. Alvirg Busa timed 2:53:20 to settle for third.

 Interestingly, Lopez crossed the finish line ahead of Abraham Missos, who posted the time of 2:47:59 followed by fellow Kenyan Francis Kakui in 2:47:37.

 “I did not expect that I would finish the race first," said Lopez.

 In the women's division, Christy Sevilleno-Tutor clinched the title with the time of 3:55:19. Odeiza Abellana wound up second in four hours and five minutes, while Merlita Arias-Dunkin secured the third spot in 4:22:59.

 Cebuana long distance running star Mary Joy Tabal opted to see action in the 21K category and her decision yielded positive outcome as she topped the race in one hour, 30 minutes and 10 seconds. Joeyry Lee came in second in 1:39:44 followed by Tuuili Pykkenen in 2:00:43.

In the men’s 21K, Jobert Carolino bagged the top honors in 1:14:56 followed by Adonis Singson (1:16:48) and John Philip Duenas (1:16:48). (FREEMAN)