Tokyo Marathon proved to be another breakthrough stage for Filipino runners as Pocari Sweat ambassadors Arlan Arbois Jr. and Christine Hallasgo delivered gold-worthy performances in the grueling 42-kilometer race dominated by African elites on Sunday.
Arbois, the silver medalist in the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, clocked an impressive 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 57 seconds in the men’s division ruled by Ethiopian standout Tadese Takele (2:03:37).
Hallasgo, meanwhile, crossed the finish line in 2:42:13 in the women’s race, topped by Kenyan star Brigid Kosgei, who blazed to 2:14:29 and shattered the previous course mark of Asefa Kebede (2:15:55) set last year.
While the spotlight belonged to Africa’s finest, the Filipino duo quietly carved out milestones of their own.
Arbois dramatically improved on his SEA Games silver-medal time of 2:30:19 — slicing more than 10 minutes off his mark. His Tokyo clocking even eclipsed the previous SEA Games medal time of 2:27:33 registered by Indonesia’s Robi Sylanturf, underscoring his steady rise in the region’s long-distance scene.
Hallasgo likewise showcased her progress, resetting her SEA Games performance of 2:57:22 with a massive time improvement in Tokyo.
“This is more than just a race result. It’s proof that our athletes are closing the gap and can compete with the best in the world,” said Otsuka Pharmaceutical President and Managing Director Ken Saito. “We are proud of Arlan and Christine for pushing beyond their limits. Pocari Sweat remains committed to supporting Filipino athletes in their pursuit of excellence.”
Arbois said the experience of running alongside the world’s elite marathoners provided valuable lessons.
“The pace is relentless from the start,” Arbois shared. “But I came here prepared to challenge myself. Seeing my time improve this much motivates me to aim higher in the next international races.”
Hallasgo echoed the same determination.
“I wanted to prove that my SEA Games performance was just the beginning,” she said. “This result inspires me to train harder and represent the Philippines even better in future competitions.”
With their renewed personal bests on one of the world’s biggest marathon stages, Arbois and Hallasgo continue to strengthen the Philippines’ presence in international road racing.
