Top runners to join Queen City foot race

CEBU CITY - Big name runners are expected to compete for the Cebu Queen City Footrace this coming May 25 at the Magellan’s Cross. Race organizer Joe Deresas said in the Scoop forum yesterday at Baseline Restaurant that Cebu’s marathon queen Leszl Gitaruelas and king of the road Mendel Lopez are expected to join the race as well as other top runners like Merlita Arias, who recently won in a team competition in Davao del Sur last Sunday. Deresas said they expect a tough race when the multi-awarded runners compete against local runners in their respective categories. Gitaruelas, who won 16 marathon titles last year, will try to continue her string of successes and gun for her third title this year. She already won the Sinulog Half Marathon last January and the Holiday Gym and Spa 10K Health Run last March. Lopez has also been succesfull recently and has not lost a single since May last year. He also ruled the 5K category of the Holiday Gym and Spa Health Run and placed sixth in the Sinulog half marathon. Both runners also finished in the top five in their respective categories in the Hong Kong Marathon last February. Deresas said the 10K race, which is supported by Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano in cooperation with the Cebu City Government and the Philippine Sports Commission, will feature Cebu’s historical landmarks like Magellan’s Cross, Basilica del Sto. Niño Church, Plaza Independecia, where Fort San Pedro is located, Fuente Osmeña and the Capitol building to promote the local tourism industry. Deresas added that the race, which is expected to gather 1,000 athletes, will also help discover new runners. Meanwhile, Deresas is hoping there will no longer be any conflict in the schedule during the May 25 event. “I’m hoping that there will be no other race on this day so that the runners will not be divided," said Deresas. He added that he had to move his race from the original April 27 date since another event was scheduled on that day. - Sun.Star Cebu