Tabal to miss Cebu City Marathon

CEBU, Philippines - Mary Joy Tabal, the country’s reigning marathon queen, will not be seeing action in this year’s edition of the Cebu City Marathon as she sets her sight on two international races earlier this year.

One of the country's biggest racing events is slated on January 11 starting and ending at the Cebu IT Park.

Tabal admitted that she failed to sign up for the Cebu Marathon but even if she has been given a free slot just to defend her 21K All-Filipino title, she still decided not to compete as she wants to focus with her upcoming stint in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon on January 25.

Tabal was supposed to represent the country in the full marathon in Hongkong, but she has already been registered in the half-marathon before PATAFA told her chance to represent the country in the said 42K action.

Aside from the Hong Kong Marathon, Tabal is also preparing herself for the Los Angeles City Marathon set on March 15. Tabal will be joining the LA Marathon as one of her incentives after defending his crown in last year’s National Milo Marathon.

Although Nestle Philippines have not yet finalized the details of her joining the LA Marathon, Tabal said that she don't want to be caught unprepared as she still continues to work hard in training.

Tabal is also expected to join the final tryout for the Philippine team that will be sent to Singapore for the Southeast Asian Games.

Tabal had been invited to be part of the Philippine Team before defending her national crown in the National Milo Marathon last year. The Cebuana said that she will only accept the chance of being part of the national team if she will be allowed to train under her long time coach and triathlete Philip Duenas here in Cebu.  (FREEMAN)