By Jean Malanum

ELITE RUNNERS. MILO Marathon champions Richard Salaño and Christine Hallasgo joined the prestigious Sydney Marathon on Aug. 31, 2025. Salaño will compete in the ASICS META: Time: Trials 10km race on Oct. 19 at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub in Cavite. (Contributed photo)

MANILA – The country’s leading runners are expected to join the ASICS META: Time: Trials, which will make its Philippine debut on Oct. 19 at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub in Cavite.

The 10-kilometer Open event offering a total of PHP400,000 in cash prizes will award PHP100,000 each to the winners in the men’s and women’s divisions. The second to 10th placers will receive PHP10,000 each.

All eyes are on MILO Marathon champion Richard Salaño, who saw action in the prestigious Sydney Marathon in Australia last Aug. 31.

“I will try my best, but I think getting a podium in the ASICS META: Time: Trials is hard because right now, my focus is on the 42km event for the SEA Games,” said Salaño in an interview on Thursday.

Salaño and Christine Hallasgo, as MILO Marathon champions, represented the country in the prestigious Sydney Marathon in Australia last Aug. 31.

Salaño registered a personal best of 2:26:51 and was the top runner from Southeast Asia at the Sydney Marathon. He placed 36th overall among more than 21,000 entries in the men’s division.

Hallasgo, on the other hand, clocked 2:54:27 to finish 37th among more than 11,000 runners.

“ASICS Meta: Time: Trials Philippines gives Filipino runners a rare opportunity to compete at an elite level while still welcoming those who simply want to challenge themselves,” said Ishina Buxani, marketing director of the SONAK Retail Group, the official distributor of ASICS in the Philippines, in a press statement.

“It’s about creating an environment where everyone has the chance to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder than ever before,” she added.

Participants must be 16 years old and above on race day to qualify for prizes. Registration is now open via Race Roster https://bit.ly/ASICSMTT-PH.

Meanwhile, the ASICS Running Club (ARC) continues to offer free weekly sessions at ASICS Glorietta (Tuesdays) and SM Mall of Asia (Fridays), providing structured training programs and showcasing ASICS’ latest performance innovations to prepare runners for the challenge ahead. (PNA)