Kenyan leads cast in Subic international marathon

MANILA, Philippines - Kenyan runner Nelson Kirwa Rotich is coming back to defend his crown in the second Smart-Subic International marathon scheduled on Oct. 24.

A veteran of several tough races including the Boston Marathon, Rotich bested a field of more than 7,000 to top last year’s 42-kilometer event in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 11 seconds.

Eduardo “Vertek” Buenavista, the country’s top long distance runner for almost a decade now, came in second in the race that started and ended inside the vast former American airbase.

This time, the event will take off at the Floridablanca, Pampanga toll of the newly built SCTEX, snaking through a scenic route before climaxing at the Remy Field in Subic.

Competitions in half-marathon, 10K, 5K, 3K humanitarian and fun runs will be held simultaneously on the second day of this event presented by Smart and co-presented by Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, PNP, SBMA, MNTC, Maynilad, Toby’s, Burlington BioFresh, Sports Armour, Chris Sports, Tsoko Nut Batirol, Timex, Pocari Sweat, Lighthouse Marina, Isuzu, Second Wind, Dusit Thani Hotel, Runnr and TRX.