Baguio City’s Eli Dangadang Triumphs in Southeast Asian Trail Running Women’s Long Trail Race

BONTOC — Eli Dangadang of Baguio City emerged victorious in the women’s 76.89-kilometer Long Trail race at the Southeast Asian Trail Running Cup, marking a significant achievement for the host country on Sunday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Dangadang completed the challenging course, which wound through picturesque locales such as the Bontoc Viewpoint, Mt. Fato, and the Guina-ang Rice Terraces, in 13 hours, 38 minutes, and 51 seconds. The only other female runner to finish within the 15-hour cutoff was Angelie Cabalo of South Cotabato, who clocked in at 14 hours, 58 minutes, and 28 seconds. Dangadang expressed her primary aim was simply to complete the race, and she was pleasantly surprised to find herself leading at various points.

The men’s division saw a strong performance by Filipinos, with Larry Apolinario of Antique and Arnie Macaneras of Davao City finishing second and third respectively, behind Thai runner Jantaraboon Kiangchaipaiphana, who won the race with a time of 11 hours, 4 minutes, and 8 seconds.

Additionally, the shorter 37-kilometer trail race was dominated by Filipino runners. John Ray Onifa clinched the top spot, followed by Romnick Tongkaling and Godwin Mirar, ensuring a podium sweep for the Philippines in this category. In the women’s division of the short trail, Trisha Reyes took the gold, with Christabel Martes and Thai runner Yupa Saelee following closely.

Tin Ferrera, vice president of the Philippine Trail Running Association (PhilTRA), expressed optimism about the event’s success in promoting international trail running competitions in the Philippines. She highlighted the goal of showcasing the country as a prime destination for such events, emphasizing the importance of providing a positive experience for both international and local participants.