Olympic athlete Jorge Castelblanco set his pace and style to take top honors in the men's category of the International Marathon of Panama (42 km), while Colombian Raquel Palmenia Agudelo took first place in the women's division.
The runner from Chiriqui added that at the 30-kilometer mark, he had to "rethink the race" due to some discomfort and cramps. Castelblanco, who won the Panama Marathon for the fourth time, finished with a time of 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 40 seconds. He explained that he maintained a good pace until the 30-kilometer mark, which helped him keep the race steady and prevent the cramps from worsening.
Meanwhile, Colombian Raquel Palmenia Agudelo crossed the finish line with a time of 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 16 seconds. This is the second time Agudelo has won the International Marathon of Panama in the women's category; the first was in 2018 with a time of 2:48:24. She also mentioned that she felt discomfort at the 30-kilometer mark, which changed her race plan.
Castelblanco clarified that this is his last race in 2025.
The International Marathon of Panama, which concluded on the Coastal Strip (Cinta Costera) at the Miramar Hotel, saw Castelblanco from Chiriqui in first place, followed by Vladimir Ojo in second, and Moisés Gutiérrez in third.
"Last year, my time was 2 hours, 19 minutes, 37 seconds, a respectable mark," said the long-distance runner, adding that he aimed for 2 hours and 17 minutes in this edition.
Agudelo added that she felt this year's race was faster, but she had trained hard to overcome the humidity. For the next year, she has a competition in February, and in mid-2026, the qualifying trials for the Olympic Games will open, so she aspires to compete in Berlin to secure an Olympic spot.
The marathon winners received a prize of B/.3000.00.
Adalberto 'Coco' Carrasquilla, on the other hand, fulfilled his wish to participate in the event, where he competed in the 5-kilometer (5K) category.
"A very beautiful experience with a very positive energy, and I wanted to live this experience and I enjoyed it," said the player for the Pumas of Mexico, who helped Panama qualify for its second World Cup.
