PILIPINO STAR/JUN MENDOZA

AROUND 24,000 runners including Filipina Olympian Mary Joy Tabal test their mettle on the road at the heart of Taiwan in the biggest edition of EVA Air Marathon on October 26.

It’s the return of Ms. Tabal, the country’s most decorated marathoner, to competitive running since breaking a long hiatus in the Tokyo Marathon in 2023. Her last campaign at home was in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

“I’m excited to be finally back on the road. It’s about finding the joy in running again after spending time with my family as a full-time mom and wife,” said Ms. Tabal in the official press conference on Tuesday night at the Crim-son Filinvest City Manila.

“The goal is to just get back on running and we’ll see. It’s just good to be back in the sport that made me an Olympian.”

A Rio Olympian, SEA Games gold medalist and six-time Milo Marathon queen, the 35-year-old Ms. Tabal will lead the local delegation as the official Team Philippines ambassadress.

Around 300 Filipinos will fly to Taipei to join Ms. Tabal for the EVA Air Marathon, including other national and student-athletes to be endorsed by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine Sports Commission courtesy of organizer TravelCare, which will shoulder the all-expense paid trip.

“It’s our fulfillment to boost the sportsmanship of our athletes. It’s our honor to send our Filipino delegation to Taiwan through the EVA Air Marathon,” said TravelCare Proprietor Sunshine Lim.

The participation of the Philippines along with other countries from all over the globe is what makes EVA Air Marathon a one-of-a-kind experience since its inauguration in 2018, according to EVA Airways General Manager Rick Hsieh.

“We connect the world through our airline and now, marathon,” said Mr. Hsieh, expecting a massive and successful turnout of the staple Taipei marathon that took only a year off during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our operation is getting bigger and wider so it’s an honor for us to have our Filipina Olympian here in Mary Joy (Tabal) to join the marathon. We’re proud to have the biggest Philippine delegation this time. And we will not stop here,” he said.

EVA Airways, with a slogan of “Fly From Taipei, See the World,” is the No. 1 airline in Taiwan, boasting a 5-star airline certification by SkyTrax and has three flight destinations to the Philippines and back.

Named the No. 8 airline in the world last year, EVA Airways flies from Taipei to Manila thrice a day and to Clark and Cebu as well once a day. Now, count marathon as an additional bridge between two friendly neighbors at the heart of the Pacific.

The EVA Air Marathon, which has The Philippine Star, The Freeman and Uratex as co-presenters, will have the 42K full marathon, 21K half marathon, 10K and 3K races featuring a smooth course that includes iconic landmarks such as the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and the Taipei 101 Observatory Building.

The world-class marathon with TravelCare is also backed by Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu, Inc., (HRRACI), DepEd Region VII, Sto. Niño Mactan College, Inc., Inner Wheel Club of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Inner Wheel Club of Cebu Lapu-Lapu Shining Stars. — John Bryan Ulanday

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR