MUSPO 50 : Macaneras and Yuson look great in winning!

The battle for ATM championship points is ongoing in the Philippines, with several candidates remaining for the five male and five female spots for the team that can take part in the ATM Final at Borneo TMBT Ultra on 14 September. Last weekend’s MUSPO event in Valencia, Bukidnon, Mindanao was the penultimate chance to score points on home soil. Those who take an interest had to go for the 50km race category. MUSPO’s 100km was only valid for the Grandmaster Quest this season. 2022 ATM Champion Arnie Macaneras returned to MUSPO after an unfortunate DNF two years ago, when he was leading the 100k race together with Larry Apolinario until they both went off course. Davao’s leading runner therefore had unfinished business in Bukidnon. He also started as the top favourite in the 50km and quickly showed his good form. A brief scare towards the end, when Arnie again missed a marker and went off course, he won comfortably in 5h52. Kik Suello scored his second podium of the ATM season with an impressive run to second place in 6h01. Suello is beginning to make a name for himself. He preceeded Jevie Cagatin and local Yoyong Sacayle by 8 minutes. Eldy Bulod and Isaiah Paraiso were next, two more exciting newcomers to the scene this season. Grandmaster Sean Aying ran a solid race to 7th ahead of Ivan Matic and Marjones Abugan.

In the women’s 50km we saw the confirmation of the ever increasing competitiveness of Shally Yuson. As in the men’s category, many good runners in the women’s race at MUSPO, and Yuson managed to score her first ever ATM points race victory with even a dominating display. At the finish in Valencia she had an advantage of nearly half an hour on the equally surprising Irish Glorioso, who seems to have found back her good form from two years ago. Emelyn Cabangas finished ten minutes later in third place, and Sierra Madre Trail winner Christine Montuya had to settle for fourth. Maria Elywana Jara Isulat claimed fifth place.

The 100k race was won by Roberto Cain III in the men’s, and Guia Angelie Cabigas in the women’s.

Shally Yuson scored her first ever ATM points race victory and underlines her growing running form

2022 ATM Champion Arnie Macaneras notched up another race win

A great second place for Kik Suello!

Irish Glorioso has found back the form that gave her several podiums in the 2022 season

Emelyn Cabingas completed the women’s podium on the 50k

Roberto Cain III won MUSPO 100 and collected one more Grandmaster point

Guia Angela was the quickest woman on the 100km and scores a Grandmaster point