Panay Athletes Among Those Representing the Philippines at the World Mountain Trail Running Championships in Spain
- ARTrunning
- Sep 25, 2025
- 2 min read
Canfranc, Spain – Four athletes from Panay Island are among the 16 athletes from the National Trail Running Team who proudly raised the Philippine flag during the opening ceremony of the prestigious World Mountain Trail Running Championships on September 24 in Canfranc, Spain. Leading the charge are three proud Antiqueños—John “Stingray” Onifa, Larry Apolinario, and Ken Oliver Liboon—joined by another Panaynon runner Jobert Elmaguin from Igbaras, Iloilo.
Onifa, from Hamtic, is widely regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s best trail runners and the Philippines’ top athlete in the sport. He will compete in the Short Trail against the world’s elites. Apolinario, from Laua-an, Antique, and Elmaguin, from Igbaras, Iloilo, will both take on the grueling Long Trail event. Meanwhile, Liboon, hailing from Tobias Fornier, Antique, will proudly compete in the Under 20 category, representing the promising future of Philippine trail running.
Accompanying the team is Toto Manie Magbanua Jr. from Sibalom, Antique—trailblazer of organized trail running events in the province—serving as one of the team officials and accredited media, tasked with documenting this historic moment for Philippine trail running.
The presence of these Antiqueño and Panaynon athletes on the world stage is a source of immense pride for Antique, Iloilo, Panay Island, and the entire country. Their participation is a powerful reminder that resilience, discipline, and determination can turn humble beginnings into global achievements, inspiring a new generation of runners to dream big.
The World Mountain Trail Running Championships (WMTRC) is the premier international competition for trail and mountain running, bringing together the best athletes from around the globe. This year’s edition gathers participants from 73 countries, making it one of the most competitive and significant events in the sport’s calendar. The inclusion of Filipino athletes underscores the growing recognition of the Philippines as a rising force in the sport.
All of this has been made possible through the efforts of the Philippine Trail Running Association (PhilTRA), together with supporters, sponsors, and the trail running community in the country, who have worked tirelessly to bring these athletes to the world stage. Beyond competition, PhilTRA is actively focused on developing grassroots talent in trail running—firmly believing that this is a sport where Filipinos can excel, and that we are capable of producing athletes who can compete with the very best in the world.
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With photos from Gerald Tipones
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