Around 43% of the 11,600 runners who joined the first Manila leg of this year's Trilogy Run Asia participated in the 16km race. It's a strong indication that more runners are challenging themselves with longer distances.
Edsel Moral and Erica Nicole Burgos set the tone for the new running season by topping the 16K race of the Sante Barley Trilogy Run Asia presented by HOKA and GoMo on Sunday at SM Mall of Asia Complex.
Over 11,600 runners participated in the first leg in Manila of the running series, which is celebrating its 15th year organized by Runrio.
"We’re happy to see this turnout and actually, about 5,000 runners joined our 16K. It’s a strong indication to us that what we’ve done over the years has paid off as more and more runners are challenging themselves by taking these longer races," said Runrio president and CEO Rio de la Cruz.
Moral, the champion of last year’s National Finals, continued his dominance by clocking in 52 minutes and 35 seconds in the first leg of the Manila race to get the better of podium finishers Daniel Jorge Cadavos (57:50) and Manuel Payongayong (58:23) in the men’s division.
National triathlon team member Burgos, on the other hand, timed her run at one hour, five minutes, and 33 seconds to be the best in the women’s division, besting Maricar Camacho (1:07:28) and Jocelyn Elijeran (1:09:35) in this race which has Gatorade as official sports drink, Le Minerale as official hydration partner, Seiko as official timing partner, Nyxsys as official media partner, SM MOA Complex as venue partner, and PAGCOR as major sponsor.
In the 10K race, James Darrel Orduña (31:22), Eduard Flores (32:27), and Jan Brixiel Moncal (32:44) were the top three among the male, while Mea Gey Niñura (41:44), Cecille Wael (44:28), and Pauline Kaye Escuro (47:47) made the podium among the female.
Almie Perez Aiso (17:13), Sangsoek Lee Kangwoo (17:56), and Jay Fajela (19:28) were the top finishers in the men’s 5K, while Marjorie Diangkinay (25:11), Pauline Cases (25:34), at Luiji Amor Tiamzon (25:55) were the best in the women’s 5K.
This is also the first time that the TRA is sanctioned by World Athletics, which means the races can be used as qualifiers for international events. TRA is also now partnered with PATAFA, which gives way to the possibility of more national athletes.
It’s a strong turnout for Manila’s leg one, with the next legs set on May 2 and July 13.
Other cities staging their events include Cebu, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao, with the running series also having Lanson Place Manila, TRYP by Wyndham, Palma Roofbar, and Nichols Airport Hotel as hotel partners, and Century Tuna, Rexona, Singlife, Salonpas, C2, Milcu, Unilab, Diatabs, and Maxvit as sponsors.