Two-time SEA Games champion Ballester fastest in La Salle run

Two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Allan Ballester outlasted race organizer and running coach Rio dela Cruz to rule the 16K division of the One Run, One Family, One La Salle 2 race at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City over the weekend. Ballester submitted a time of 55 minutes and 33 seconds to beat Dela Cruz by 14 seconds. Placing third was Carlito Fantilaga in 59:46. The 35-year-old Ballester, a native of Sorsogon City, topped the marathon event of the 1997 Jakarta SEA Games and the 2003 Vietnam edition. He was also the National Milo Marathon champion in 2000 and 2001. Topping the distaff side of the race, which lured more than 5,000 participants, were Australian Natasha Davis in 1:19:45, followed by Gabriela Calma (1:20:25) and Emily Lu (1:26:21). The top three male finishers in the 10K race were Mervin Lomarquez (35:52), Hernandito Pineda (37:17) and Ronald Salgado (37:46) while the female podium finishers were Merlyn Lumagbas (48:09), Gene Folsom (51:10) and Janette Agura (51:46). Other winners were Maximo Espinosa, Jr. (18:44), Ariel Unabia (19:02) and Jerome Dolaret (10:03) and Maysie Layne Co (24:03), Frances Alecx Garcia (26:57) and Elaine Andaya (27:16) in 5K; and John Chrsitopher Nayne (11:47), Jonathan Pauiq (12:46) and Ricardo Pauiq (12:51) and Ma. Olga Abella (18:17), Angelika Ibarra (18:24) and Jennylyn Sia (18:41) in 3K. Over in Ermita, Manila, 26-year-old Wilson Maningkil handily topped the centerpiece 10K run of the Circulation Management Association of the Philippines (CMAP) Run To Read, beating all opponents with a time of 28 minutes and 24 seconds. The contest, which started and ended in Kalaw St., rewarded the 4-foot-11 Maningkil P4,000 worth of gift certificates. Roberto Estrella, 53, placed second in 30:45 while placing third was tabloid employee Marcelo Herminado (31:05). Ruling the men’s 5K category were Michael Escaran (20:40), Rizalino Balingos (21:02) and Paul Dumagan (22:53). - RCJ/Perry C. Legaspi, GMANews.TV --