By MARK REY MONTEJO
SAN MATEO, Rizal – Bulacan pride Emmanuel Dave Montemayor stamped his class and emerged as the overall champion in the men’s open category of the 2024 7-Eleven Trail Cross-Country Marathon for a second consecutive year at the Timberland Heights on Sunday, Feb. 18.
The 23-year-old Montemayor overcame a lethargic start and an accident in the middle part of the race to rule the 40km event with a time of 1 hour and 42.7 minutes. It was a minute clear of second player Mark Lowel Valderama (1:43:14) and Dave Rhoa (1:43:34).
“Okay naman po mas nakapaghanda po ako, nagalangan po ako kasi nasemplang po ako kanina, pero buti nakabawi po ako kasi medyo kabisado ko na po itong track,” said Montemayor.
“Pinaghandaan ko po talaga ito para ma-defend ko po itong title,” he added.
Banking on experience and familiarity of the track, Montemayor actually eclipsed his last year’s time of 1 hour, 47 minutes and 20 seconds.
“Malaking opportunity po itong mga gantong palaro, gaya ng sa 711, talagang marami kaming nadedevelop at nagkakaroon ng chance na maipakita ‘yong kaya namin lalo na sa aming mga kabataan,” Montemayor added.
On the distaff side, Eusebia Nicole Quinoñes outshone fellow national team member Shagne Yaoyao after clocking 2:15:14 to win the women’s crown – just three seconds ahead against the latter.
They were followed by Adel Pia Sendrijas (2:15:45, 3rd), Dianna Costes (2:40:42, 4th), Alliyah Montajes (2:41:35, 5th) and Kyla Glinogo (2:44:34, 6th), Anna Angelo (2:56:49, 7th), Everlou Taniongon (2:58:19, 8th), Claire Pastor (3:03:29, 9th) and Jwyn Muyco (3:05:31, 10th).
Eboy, a former national team member and father of Eusebia Nicole, also joined in the tilt where he topped the above-55 men’s category while his son Matthew Symon fell to tenth place in the under-24 division.
Both Montemayor and Quinoñes took home Php 25,000 while Eboy received Php 7,000 top prize in the seventh edition of the tilt and second straight since the Covid-19 pandemic.
