CEBU, Philippines - Olympic marathoner Mary Joy Tabal and her longtime coach John Philip Duenas continue to stay busy barely a month after getting back from the Rio Olympics.
Just last weekend, the duo brought their students from Guba Elementary School to join their very first Milo Little Olympics Visayas leg track and field tournament.
Today, the two will now be in Davao City to help spread their love for the sport.
Motor Ace Phils., Tabal’s major corporate backer will be sending Tabal to Davao after getting invited byAirnel Abarra in line with the Blue Knights Track League Open on Sept. 17.
Upon arriving in Davao, Tabal and Dueñas are set to meet with the schools heads of Ateneo de Davao, before meeting with the university athletes.
On Sept. 17, she will make an inspirational talk with the track athletes at the opening ceremony of the Blue Knights Track League in the morning.
Dueñas will have a Part 2 of the running clinic that is specific to triathletes in the morning of Sept. 18.
Last weekend, Tabal brought some 15 athletes, who are students of their grassroots development program in the mountain barangay of Guba, in Cebu City.
Guba Elementary School is also Tabal’s old school and where she traces her roots in the sport, when she ran in the track and field event of the school’s intramural because their class had no representative. She ran in her school uniform.
“I would like to share to the Davao athletes how I started and my experiences that eventually led me to the Olympics,” said Tabal. (FREEMAN)