Joy and tears grip Philippines’ early bid

KUALA LUMPUR: Mary Joy Tabal fulfilled her promise of delivering the country’s first gold medal when she ruled the women’s marathon event of the 29th Southeast Asian Games Saturday morning in nearby Putrajaya City.

Tabal – the pride and hope of Barangay Guba, Cebu City – masterfully took control of the cloudy weather and difficult terrain to cross the finish line after two hours, 48 minutes and 26 seconds and finally dominate the 42-kilometer race where she had a forgettable performance in the previous SEA Games and the Rio Olympics last year.