By Alona Cochon
ROME – The Filipino runners made their presence felt again at the Run Rome The Marathon 2026 on Sunday, with Lorenzo Castro Jr. finishing inside the top 35 and placing 6th in his age category.
Castro, a 43-year-old marathoner based in Florence, emerged as the fastest Filipino finisher in 2 hours, 29 minutes, and 41 seconds, followed by Milan-based Mark Robin Salas, who clocked 2:54.11.
About 20 Filipino running clubs and organizations participated in the event, with supporters from the local Filipino community lining the streets to cheer them on.
A highlight was the vibrant Filipino cheer station at the 31-km. mark in Piazza Apollodoro, where cultural group Pinoy Teens Salinlahi performed the traditional Filipino dance Tinikling, drawing applause from international spectators and adding a festive Filipino touch to the global event.
Run Rome The Marathon broke the Guinness World Record for the largest pacemaker team, with 252 pacers from different countries, including three Filipinos – JC, Jeanette, and Ashley Santa Teresa.
Mark Jason Flores, a first-time marathoner, nearly gave up at the 35-km. mark, but “my mind kept me pushing.”
“My cheerers are my family, excited na umuwi sa bahay at pakita ang medal na pinaghirapan ko (Excited to go home and show off the [finisher] medal I worked so hard for),” Flores said.
Before joining the Rome Marathon, which drew 36,000 participants, the Filipino runners paid a courtesy call at the Philippine Embassy in Rome on Friday.
As expected, Kenyan athletes dominated the 31st edition of the Rome Marathon with Asebel Rutto winning the men’s race for the second time in 2:07.32 and Pascaline Kibiwot Jelagat claiming the women’s category with a new record time of 2:22.44. (Alona Cochon/PNA)
