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[av_heading heading=’Marathoner gives PH first SEA Games gold ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Sunday, August 20, 2017
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MANILA – Mary Joy Tabal captured a gold medal – the Philippines’ first – in the women’s marathon of the 29th Southeast Asian Games yesterday in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
A native of Cebu, Tabal bested her opponents, clocking 2:48:26.
Trailing behind her were Hoang Thi Thanh of Vietnam (2:55:43) and Natthaya Thanaronnawat of Thailand (2:58:53).
The Filipina was slightly ahead in the first two loops until she started to put a considerable distance between her and Hoang and Thanaronnawat in the third loop to speed her way to the victory.
“Masaya po. At least nagbunga po ang training ko sa Italy and Switzerland,” said Tabal, a silver medalist in the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore. “Sana ito na ang simula ng tuluy-tuloy na gold ng mga atleta natin dito sa SEA Games.”
The 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympian almost failed to make the cut for the biennial event after getting at odds with the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association but was reinstated in time for the competition.
Meanwhile, Bacolod City native Jason Agravante failed to make it two in a row for the Philippines after faltering in the men’s marathon, which was ruled by Guillaume Soh of Singapore.
Moreover, two Filipino gold medal hopefuls – Ernest John Obiena for pole vault and Patrick Unso for 400m hurdles – were ruled out of the competitions due to injuries.
Obiena sustained a left ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury during practice while Unso was still recovering from a hamstring injury./PN
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