RAFAEL POLIQUIT JR. does not mind being called lola’s boy.
He was 7years old when his parents got separated and he spent the next nine years of his life with his grandmother in Tagum City and chased his dream with the guidance of his lola.
Poliquit grew up under the watch of his grandmother as his father Rafael, a security guard in a mining company in Davao, and his mom, Teresita, a market vendor, decided to part ways and continue with their own lives.
That did not stop Poliquit to have a life of his own—and he found it on the sport of running.
The 25-year-old Philippine Air Force personnel used to watch the likes of Edwardo Buenavista compete in races in their province and his interest on the sport grew.
And on Saturday morning, Poliquit did not only realize his dream, he won his first National Milo Marathon at the expense of no less than nis idol Buenavista by one minute and 33 seconds.
“Pinapanood ko lang sila sa probinsya dati kaya ngayon hindi ako makapaniwala na natalo ko siya [Buenavista],” said Poliquit, who almost withdrew in the annual running extravaganza after it was postponed last week due to Typhoon Ruby.
“Actually nag-give up na ako kasi nga na-cancel ito last week. Baka hindi kasi kaya ng katawan ko kaya nagdalawang-isip akong sumali ngayon,” he added.
Using his split-time tactic—the plan was to run the first 21 kilometers by one hour and 16 minutes and the next 21 by the same time—Poliquit coasted with the lead group that included defending champion Buenavista before making his move in the final 10 minutes of the 42.195-kilometer race.
And the ploy created wonders for Poliquit who crossed the finish line with the time of 2:32:29, edging Olympian Buenavista (2:33:56).
It was Poliquit’s first full marathon title in the Milo series, lacing it with a victory over the 36-year-old Buenavista, an icon in long distance racing in the country.
“Saludo pa rin ako sa kanya dahil idol ko pa rin siya. Senior ko po siya sa Air Force,” said Poliquit, who will save half of his P150,000 cash prize and will use the rest to help his family.
Undeniably, it was his biggest earning, so far, since he started competing in Davao where he was discovered and earned a scholarship at the Far Eastern University where he got the chance to train with champion coaches like Roy Vence, also a one-time Milo Marathon champion.
“Dati self-training lang ako then nagkaroon ng chance sa FEU under champion coaches,” Poliquit said. “Then nasa Air Force na ako, talagang mina-maximize ko ang once-a-day training. Dapat sa isang beses makatakbo ako ng 20 km.”
His sacrifices has paid off and his personal struggles in life did not prevent him from achieving his dream—to be a winner.
And that’s how this man from Tagum becomes a champion in life.