Liao, Olvis survive punishing UTMB

MANILA, Philippines — Majo Liao and Gene Olvis defied the odds and conquered the punishing trails of the mountain ranges along Italy, France and Switzerland in the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc recently.

Liao, a medical technologist and full-time professor, tackled the 171-km route with a 10,000-m elevation in 42:15:14 to become the first Filipina finisher of the UTMB, the toughest among the five races in the event.

Meanwhile, Olvis, an engineer, crossed the tape for the men’s side in 35:33:54 to set the fastest time for a Filipino in the main UTMB race as the duo led the Filipino finishers in the demanding race.

Aside from the UTMB, the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc also featured the CCC (Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix), TDS (Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie), OCC (Orsières-Champex-Chamonix) and PTL (La Petite Trotte à Léon) races.

“I could not see the route as it was covered in clouds so I know it was already snowing. I was feeling really cold and the winds are strong and it was raining. I haven’t experienced winter yet. I just told myself that I won’t go home without finishing the race. I didn’t go that far to just give up,” said the 27-year-old Liao of club team Salomon-Suunto Philippines during a press briefing at the L’Opera Ristorante Italiano in Bonifacio Global City Tuesday night.

Police officer Miguelito Carranza of Trailrunning in the Philippines clocked 37:01:00, US-based Conrado Bermudez of Philippine Association of Ultrarunners clocked 40:18:29 while Singapore-based Donald Hermoso timed 44:18:53 to finish the UTMB.

On the other hand, 27-year-old Sandi Menchi Abahan, the Mt. Kinabalu Climbathon Asian Circuit Queen in 2014 and 2016, crossed the 119-km TDS route with 7,200-m ascent in 23:27:16 to rank 21st among the female finishers in the event.