The road race series of the Milo Marathon national finals is coming back following a three-year absence.
But for now, it won’t be similar to the last time when it was done back in 2020 when Christine Hallasgo and Jerald Zabala ruled the local women’s and men’s divisions, respectively, in the 42nd National Milo Marathon Finals in Tarlac City.
This time, organizers won’t be sending the winners to compete in prestigious road races abroad just yet.
“This year, what we can assure everyone is that the excitement and the bigness of this event will be the same or even better,” said Carlo Sampan, Head of MILO Sports, during Saturday’s launch of MILO® Active Pilipinas at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The race has been shelved for three years after the country went into lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But organizers promised to bring back the excitement of the footrace in its full glory by 2024.
Sampan said they are coordinating with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association on the technical aspects of the races involved.
The race series of the Milo Marathon is slated to start in Metro Manila by March 26.
During the launch of Milo Active Pilipinas, organizers reactivated its involvement in grassroots sports, including sports clinics in basketball, taekwondo, swimming, and tennis, among others, while instilling discipline, confidence, and teamwork.
And then there’s the Champ Camp, which was co-created with the Department of Education, a nationwide school tour that teaches students the basics of sports without disrupting their classes, since parents also play a role as we teach them proper nutrition.
Another one on the table is MILO Home Court, a digital portal launched in partnership with the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission. It will continue to help kids pursue sports even at home by providing video tutorials and online sports classes.
On the other hand, the Barangay Liga is a grassroots basketball tournament that will be launched in March this year, with teams from barangays joining.
“We’re very excited to energize the national scene once again, and get Filipino kids back into sports,” said Senior Vice President of Nestlé Philippines, MILO Business Unit Veronica Cruz.