Art & Living Achievements

Forty-Nine gutsy runners from the Philippines and 25 Filipino-Americans in the United States made their presence felt in the world-famous New York City Marathon, which drew close to 44,000 runners from all over the globe.

While the top honors went to American Meb Keflezighi (men’s) and Ethiopian Derartu Tulu (women’s), Filipinos also proved their mettle, most of them finishing the grueling 42.195-kilometer foot race that started at Staten Island, passed through the five boroughs of New York and ended at Central Park.

From the scores of Filipino running enthusiasts, three prominent scions of business tycoons easily drew interest, as they proved equal to the daunting task of finishing the race.

Harry Tan Jr., nephew of billionaire Lucio Tan, in fact, finished with an impressive clocking of three hours, 51 minutes and 40 seconds, while Cebu Pacific chief executive Lance Gokongwei completed the race in 5:11:40. Lance’s cousin, Johnson Robert Go, clocked 4:23:03.

Of course, their times were an eternity removed from the 2:09:15 of Keflezighi, who won a historic victory for the Americans after recovering from an injury he once feared might end his career.

The 34-year-old Keflezighi became the first American man since 1982 to win the NYC Marathon, the latest twist in the story of a family that fled war to thrive in a new home.

“It can’t get any better,” Keflezighi said.

Tulu was the women’s winner, capping a stunning comeback of her own on a day when a record field of nearly 44,000 started the 40th edition of this race. Two-time defending champion Paula Radcliffe fell back to fourth, hobbled by tendinitis behind her left knee.

Keflezighi won silver at the 2004 Olympics, the first American man to medal since 1976. Sunday’s race proved how much depth the US now boasts: With the event doubling as the national championship, six Americans finished in the top 10 for the first time since ’79.

Tulu’s breakthrough victory came 17 years ago at the Barcelona Olympics, when she won the 10,000 meters to become the first black African woman to capture a gold medal. She took gold again in 2000, then won her only previous major marathon title in London the following year.

 

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3. Filipino-Swiss racer Stockinger wins UK Championship
4. Fil-Am Theatre Festival opens July in New York
5. Sy and Tan families only Filipinos in Forbes billionaires list

 

 

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