Elite Minda runners compete in Milo qualifier

MANILA, Philippines - Top runners from Northern Mindanao region will converge in Cagayan de Oro City tomorrow for the 14th Qualifying Leg of the 35th Milo National Marathon at the Pelaez Sports Center.

Intense competition will unfold in the City of Golden Friendship, with four-time CDO National Milo Marathon elims champ Arnold Unabia and 26-year-old Iligan-native Jeffrey Sotto vying for top spots in the highlight 21K elimination race. Unabia edged Sotto by a mere 10 seconds and topped last year’s race with a 1:13:06 finish.

Both Unabia and Sotto, however, will see tougher competition as 21K runners from nearby provinces of Zamboanga, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Bukidnon join the field.

Local race organizers are targeting at least 12,000 runners to participate in the CDO race, which is the first of four elimination legs to be held in Mindanao. Registration for the half marathon and 10K race have doubled this year, an indication of the growing popularity of running in the region.

The Cagayan Leg age group qualifiers will join more than 300 runners who have already earned slots to the National Finals from previous nationwide race legs and will vie for the P300,000 top prize in the premier 42.195-km in the National Finals in Manila on Dec. 11.

After this Sunday’s race, the National Milo Marathon heads to Butuan City on Oct. 23, Gen. Santos City on Oct. 30 and Davao City on Nov. 6.

As part of Milo’s sports advocacy program, some 500 pairs of shoes will also be given to the selected students of different public schools in the city.

The National Milo Marathon is made possible by event sponsors, Bayview Hotel, Powerade, Summit, Timex, Air21, Department of Education and SM Mall of Asia.

For more info on the National Milo Marathon and how to be part of its advocacy, visit the exciting new Milo website via www.milo.com.ph or be a fan of Milo Philippines on Facebook.