Last Updated on May 7, 2023 by Andrew Pirie
Christine Hallasgo takes Bronze as Odetka goes back-to-back at SEA Games
(May 6, 2023)
SEA Games Champion Hallasgo Guest of Honor at the Malaybalay Summer Fun Run
An Inspiration to young athletes around the country. And also a huge motivation for the athletes in her hometown Malaybalay. Christine Hallasgo was the special guest at the Malaybalay Summer Fun Run which attracted 178 participants. In line with IATF, the meet was allowed to have less than 200 competitors.
Christine, the Guest of Honor, was a guest runner for the 21K. Her name is not in the Malaybalay results. Please note in the results only names, no official times. Perhaps and can check unofficial times via Strava?
Christine Hallasgo
Christine the Gardner
If Mary Joy Tabal, who she replaced on the SEA Games marathon throne last December, is into baking, Christine is planting.
Call her one of the millions who are now called plantitas.
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“Because of the lockdown, I now have more time with my family and recently, I have time to plant—it’s not only fun, but self-fulfilling and relaxing,” Hallasgo told the BusinessMirror.
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Christine maintains a garden in her humble home in Barangay Casisang in Malaybalay, planted with eggplants, okra, tomatoes, and string beans.
She grows Rhoeo Discolor, Caladium, Welcome Plant, roses, and Snake Plants in another garden part.
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“My collections of plants are simple. I wish I have some rare plants in my garden, but I feel happy and satisfied with what I have…it’s the relief that I get from my plants,” she said.
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“I do 30kms a day, at times racking up 200 to 300 km [total] in my program with coach Bertek [Buenavista’s nickname],” she said.
(Please note that 69 of 80 Athletes have already gone under the 2h29.30 standard).
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Marc Anthony Reyes – Reporter / @marcreyesINQ
Christine Hallasgo: Grounded
Getting a forced break in training, Christine Hallasgo was looking forward to returning to her family in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, on Wednesday.
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“I was really looking forward to spending more time with my family and observe quarantine back home,” Hallasgo told the Inquirer in Filipino.
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And with a flight coming out of Clark via Cebu, she was already at New Clark City (NCC) as early as Sunday the previous week.
But and imposed the enhanced Luzon-wide lockdown on the eve of her flight.
And COVID-19—that dreaded fast-spreading plague that has grounded world sports to a halt—caught up with the reigning Southeast Asian marathon queen.
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“Now I have no choice, sir,” Hallasgo said over the phone.
She was accommodated at the NCC to wait for her flight along with several members of the national team and differently-abled athletes.
After the lockdown was expanded, the 27-year-old Hallasgo was picked up by the Philippine Sports Commission to stay at Philsports facilities in Pasig.
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“I have no complaint because we have our individual rooms,” said Hallasgo, who wrested the marathon throne from Mary Joy Tabal during the Southeast Asian Games and the Milo national championships.
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And her only concern is that she was far away from her husband Wilmer and three-year-old daughter Tricia Mae.
On April 14, when the lockdown is lifted, she will get to see them again.
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“I talk to them on the phone, but after that, I don’t know what to do anymore because we can’t go outside the room,” Hallasgo said.
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She and Wilmer formed part of the Malaybalay Runners, which caught national attention after capturing the SEA Games gold medal last December.
An avid runner since she was in high school. Hallasgo said her daily concern is how to spend her time in a confined space. “I’m used to moving around,” she said.
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And how her only option is to stop on her tracks. Just like everybody else.
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Hallasgo surprise SEA Games women’s marathon winner
Capas, Tarlac
Pinoyathletics congratulates Christine Hallasgo for winning the gold at the 2019 SEA Games Women’s Marathon.
Above all, a heavy underdog, even Pinoyathletics, she could pull off a medal, let alone the surprise win.
In contrast, a few years ago had seen her run in the Milo Marathon and, at that stage, around 2015, felt she would one day succeed. Mary Joy Tabal is the country Marathon queen.
Therefore Hallasgo becomes the 4th woman to win the SEA Games Marathon for the Philippines, joining the likes of Christabel Martes (2001 and 2005), Jhoann Banayag (2009), and Mary Joy Tabal (2015).
Hallasgo winning time of 2h56.56.00 was a new personal best, shattering her previous mark of 3h04 set around 2015-2016.
After giving birth, she returned at 3h06 at the Milo Marathon behind Tabal and Cristabel Martes.
However, she will also be running the 10k.
It was a tight race with everyone bunched halfway.
At 32k, the race’s dark horse Pham of Vietnam led by 20m pulling away.
However, it was pursued by Tabal and Hallasgo, who wore away at the 10k specialist.
However, the delighted pint-size Hallasgo, a new national team member, pulled away for the surprise win.
Hallasgo hails from Malaybay, Bukidnon.
Now is training with former SEA Games Champion Eduardo Buenavista.
Who for sure will be delighted to have secured the gold medal in his first SEA Games as a national coach?
Tabal Collapses
While defending champion, Mary Joy Tabal collapsed for a valiant 1-2 finish for the Philippines.
Tabal collapsed, possibly due to heat exhaustion? (seems to be ok now).
In conclusion, Tabal clocked 2:58.49.00, while Thi Hong Le Pham took bronze in 3:02.52.00 from Thailand’s Linda Janthachit 3:04.41.00.
In the men’s marathon 2017, SEA Games Silver medalist Agus Prayogo of Indonesia finally crowned himself SEA Games Champion in 2:26.48.
Ahead of Sanchai Namkhet of Thailand (2:27.18) and Muhaizar Muhammad of Malaysia (2:33.08).
In contrast, Jerald Zabala and Anthony Nerza of the Philippines are 5th and 6th overall.
And after the Philippines had DNF in the men from 2015 and 2017.
The shock came when Tony Payne of Thailand, the SEA Record holder, was unable to place in the top 3 due to Achilles issues.
References
- https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/06/19/sea-games-hallasgo-pulls-off-suprise-beats-tabal-for-phs-1-2-finish-in-marathon
- https://www.rappler.com/sports/specials/sea-games/246560-results-marathon-christine-hallasgo-gold-philippines-2019
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Andrew was elected Vice President of the Association of Track and Field Statisticians in 2020 after being a member for 7 years.
He has worked as a PSC Consultant and Research Assistant from 2013-2015, Consultant, and Sprint Coach at Zamboanga Sports Academy from 2015-2017. And Currently is Consultant Coach with VMUF 2021-
Current editor and chief of Pinoyathletics.info, and has recently done consultancy work for Ayala Corp evaluating the Track and Field Program.
Coaches Sprints, Middle and Jump events he is Level 3 Athletics Australia Coaching Certification in Sprints and Hurdles.
Currently working towards a Masters Degree in Education.
He can be contacted on [email protected]
You can find more information on Coaching here
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