Top athletes from Cebu are setting their sights on the international stage as they prepare to represent the Philippines in a major marathon event later this year.
Elite Cebuano Runners Announce Taipei Marathon Bid
Multi-titled runner Prince Joey Lee and former Olympian Mary Joy Tabal-Jimenez will spearhead the Cebu/Philippines contingent at the 2026 Eva Air Marathon in Taipei on October 25, 2026. The team officially announced their participation during a launch event held at the Seda Central Bloc Cebu Hotel on Wednesday, January 14.
The launch was organized by key representatives from Eva Air Cebu, including office chief Deacon Liu and assistant manager Jobelle Canillo. They were joined by prominent local figures such as Ron Manalang, a board trustee of the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu Inc., Charles Lim of Heritage Muebles Mirabile Export Inc., and Sunshile Lim from Travel Care.
Personal Goals and Comeback Stories
Prince Joey Lee, who secured an impressive third-place finish overall in last year's race with a time of one hour, nine minutes, and 40 seconds, has clear objectives for the upcoming event. "We can beat our previous time. Of course, placing is secondary now because other runners have also trained hard, but beating our time from the previous race is the primary goal," Lee stated. He also praised the marathon route, calling it scenic yet demanding.
For Mary Joy Tabal-Jimenez, this marks her second appearance in the event since her return to competitive running. After a two-year hiatus focused on balancing work and motherhood, her goal in the previous full marathon was simply to finish. This year, she is shifting to the half marathon distance, aiming to demonstrate her regained strength and compete for the top spot in her division.
"After two years of not having that usual marathon mileage and struggling with work and motherhood, I was still able to run the marathon non-stop last year," Tabal-Jimenez shared. "This is just half of the marathon. I'm hoping for a good finish this time – I have something in mind, but I'll keep it to myself for now. I need to focus on working towards it first."
Strong Team Composition and Event Details
The powerhouse Cebu/Philippines team is expected to include other notable athletes. The roster may feature Franklyn Ferdie Yee, a SEA Games duathlon mixed relay medalist; Michelle Zamora, the 2025 National PRISAA gold medalist; marathon silver medalist Artjoy Torregosa; and Jibreel Rivera, a product of Mandaue City's grassroots sports program.
Participants will pay a registration fee of US$399, which covers a comprehensive package. This includes a roundtrip airline ticket, free entry to a 3KM event valued at 600 New Taipei dollars, a 23kg baggage allowance, airport transfers, a race kit, and an official Team Philippines t-shirt.
To build momentum for the main event, a kickoff run will be held in Cebu on September 20, as announced during the press conference. This local event will serve as a precursor and team-building activity ahead of the international competition in Taipei.
