Laban ng Lahi targets world record for largest platoon run

Camboayan Sports founder Joenel Pogoy and PRAI Party-List nominee Van Luspo do the fist bump to formally launch Laban ng Lahi 4.

By Ivan Saldajeno

PASAY--Laban ng Lahi looks to barge its way to the Guinness Book of World Records with its season-ending event this December.

During the press launch of its fourth edition on Thursday at the Vikings Mall of Asia branch, Camboayan Sports chief Joenel Pogoy said that they want to attract as many running groups from around the world as possible for its grand event, the Laban ng Lahi Platoon Run Olympics.

"We want to have as many participants as possible," Pogoy said.

He then revealed that he is hoping that 100-150 platoons will join the group run.

If he does so, Guinness might name the Platoon Run Olympics the world's first-ever successful international group run.

Good thing for Camboayan Sports, all the teams that initially registered for the event in 2020 will still commit this year.

No thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Laban ng Lahi 4 was stalled for two years, but with things going back to normal, Camboayan Sports finally gave the go-signal to finally push through.

The Laban ng Lahi season will begin with the preliminary phase on April 30 at the Filinvest City complex in Muntinlupa.

The best teams from the April event will fly to Bislig for the national finals in September, where PHP3 million awaits the Philippine champion.

The season will culminate with the Platoon Run Olympics from Dec. 16-18 in Cabadbaran, Agusan Del Norte.

The grand champion of the event, where the teams will traverse a 33-kilometer route with seven challenge areas, including a special span where they have to eat lechon, will receive PHP10 million.

Each team will consist of 33 members, 30 male and three female runners.

While speed remains the main gauge in the race, other factors like best team costume, best teamwork, best chants, and being the crowd favorites through text votes will be inserted too.

For Pogoy, everyone is a winner in Laban ng Lahi 4.

"Hindi lamang ang mga ordinaryong runners, maging ang kabuhayan ng mahihirap na mamamayan ang iaangat natin dito, isama na natin ang pagpapalakas ng turismo sa Kamindanawan, maging ang mahikayat natin ang ibang local province na maitaguyod nila ang kanilang kultura," he further said.

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