Philippine runners sweep half marathons in Seoul Race

Philippine runners have swept the top spot in both men’s and women’s half-marathon competitions of the 2014 Seoul Race.

In men’s competition, Mario Magliano, 27, ran the course ahead of other runners throughout the event and became the first to cross the finish line with a time of 1:13:44. Magliano, who is engaged in clothing and shoe sales business in the Philippines, has been managing his physical stamina by jogging more than 10 kilometers every day. As a result, he was able to enjoy beautiful autumn scenery at the Han River without showing symptoms of fatigue even after the race. “It is my first visit to Korea, and I am very glad that I have gained wonderful memories at a high-class competition,” Magliano said. “I will participate in next year’s event as well.”

In women’s competition, Mary Joy Tabal, 25, won the title with a time of 1:19:37. She recorded a gap of nearly 7 minutes versus Lee Geum-bok, who ranked second. Tabal, who is majoring in public administration at Southwestern University in Cebu, the Philippines, is about 8 minutes behind the Korean record (1:11:14) in women’s half marathon. She displayed so dominant a race far exceeding the level of an amateur runner that Lee even said, “Isn’t Tabal an elite runner?”

Tabal is an enthusiastic runner who has practiced for three hours in every morning and more than one hour in the afternoon every day. She ran her third half-marathon event in Seoul after runs in Paris and Tokyo. “Because I like Seoul, I really wanted to participate in a race in Korea, in which I can witness scenery and mood in Seoul,” Tabal said. “I will never forget throughout my life from the moment I arrived in Seoul last Friday to this moment when I am standing on the victory stand.”

When asked about her goal for the future, Tabal revealed her ambitious plan. “My next goal is to participate in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro,” Tabal said. “The Seoul Race has provided a motivation to achieve my dream,” she said with a smile.