Indon, Thai runners grab golds in SEA Trail Running Cup opener, PH bets win silvers

Fourteen runners from six countries participated in the SEA Trail Running Cup vertical uphill race. Ivan Saldajeno
By Ivan Saldajeno

BONTOC—Indonesian runner Yusri Nanda and Thai athlete Phitchanan Mahachot drew first blood in the Southeast Asian Trail Running Cup after winning the golds in the vertical uphill race that opened the three-day trail running series on Friday.

Yusri won the men's race after completing the five-kilometer circuit in 40 minutes and 55.6 seconds, a little over two minutes ahead of silver medalist John Ray Onifa of the Philippines, who clocked in at 42:42.7.

Jantaraboon Kianchaphaiphana of Thailand captured the bronze after finishing the race in 43:25.7.

Mahachot, though, made it a virtual 1-3 finish for the Thai as she won the women's race after finishing in 54:40.6.

Mahachot turned out to be the only female runner who completed the course in sub-one hour as silver medalist Cara Dacnis of the Philippines entered the finish line in one hour and 36.6 seconds.

Chan Yu-Mei of Singapore clocked in at 1:07:08.4.

The opening salvo to the SEA Trail Running Cup drew 14 runners from six nations with representatives from Brunei and Vietnam also participating.

The runners had to take an uphill run from the Mountain Province Provincial Plaza to Mount Fato.

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