Paris Marathon awaits Pinoy champions of Milo Marathon 42K

(Updated 6:42pm) The right to represent the Philippines in the Paris Marathon is the bigger prize beyond the finish line for the Filipino first placers in the 42K race of the 37th National Milo Marathon in December, organizers of the country's longest-running annual race revealed Sunday morning.
 
Eric Panique and Luisa Raterta led a field of over 2,500 in the 42K division of the Milo Marathon Metro Manila Eliminations on Sunday. Panique had a chip time of 2:30:16.72 while Raterta crossed the finish line at 3:14:16.09.

The 38th staging of the Paris Marathon will be on April 6 next year.

Kenyan Peter Some reigned over the Paris Marathon last year with a time of 2:05’38”. He improved upon his personal record by three minutes and crossed the finish with the second-best time ever in the history of the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris. The record is held by Stanley Biwott at 2:05’12” in 2012.

Registration and travel arrangements to the Paris Marathon will be borne and taken care of by Nestle' Philippines' Milo Marathon program, according to sports program director Andrew Neri and race director Rio dela Cruz.

Panique and Raterta each got a trophy and P50,000 for their respective feats. They advance to the national finals where the cash prize for the 42K race champions is P300,000.
 
Neri and dela Cruz said participation in the Paris Marathon would serve as an incentive so that the Milo Marathon can attract more elite runners and result in a new harvest from their target of 230,000 runners total from the 17 qualifying races and the national finals.


 
The Metro Manila eliminations set a new qualifying stage participation record of over 42,000 runners, according to the organizers.
 
The race routes had the start and finish at the SM Mall of Asia, and cut through major roads in its immediate environs.  — CLP/ELR, GMA News