Male Kenyan runners dominate SM2SM run; Tabal, Andrins shine anew

As expected, the Kenyan male runners pulled off dominating performances again to rule the men’s race of the SM2SM Run 3 yesterday at the SM City Cebu.

Willy Rotich, Philip Ronoh and Joel Kembol won the crowns in their respective divisions while local bets Mary Joy Tabal ad the Andrin siblings ruled the distaff side.

Rotich clocked one hour and 10 minutes to rule the men’s 21-kilometer race while Ronoh finished in 39:39 to take the 12k crown. Kembol, on the other hand, won the 6k title.

Around 4,000 runners joined the running event organized by the SM Prime Holdings Inc. for the benefit of  Cebu City Task Force on Street Children and the Cebu Newspaper Workers Foundation.

Tabal, meanwhile, clocked 1:24:47 to win the women’s 21k title. It was a double celebration for Tabal after her coach and trainer John Philip Duenas placed third in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 21k race also yesterday. (see separate story)

The Andrin siblings, Lovely and Cherry, won the 12k and 6k categories. Lovely finished in 51:35 to win the 12k title while  Cherry reached the finish line in 24:45 to emerge on top in the 6k category. Jhean, the third Adnrin in the race, clocked 25:23 to finish second in the 6k race.

In the couples 21k race, multi-awarded triathlete Noy Jopson and his wife, Amale, grabbed the top spot as they finished together with a time of 1:45.55.