Philippine Trail Running Association (PHILTRA) · September 29, 2026
The Philippine Trail Running Association (PHILTRA) is sending 22 athletes to the 2026 Asia Pacific Trail Running Championships (APTRC) in Wuyishan, China, on November 24–28. The team of 11 men and 11 women will race the Long Trail, Short Trail and Mountain Classic U23. With an average age of 25.5, it is about seven years younger than the field, and for the first time the Philippines will field a U23 team at the Asia Pacific level.
What is the APTRC?
The APTRC is the International Trail Running Association’s (ITRA) championship for Asia and the Pacific, where national teams compete for individual and team titles. Wuyishan hosts the 2nd edition, following the event’s debut in Ulju, South Korea, in 2024.
A strong debut in 2024. The Philippines left Ulju with one gold and three silver medals and finished second overall champion in the team competition. John Ray Onifa won individual gold in the Short Trail, while the men’s Short Trail and Long Trail teams each took silver.
The field by the numbers
333 athletes from 27 countries and regions have entered the three championship races. Women make up 44% of the field (146 women and 187 men), and the average age is 33.
| Race | Distance | Athletes in the field |
| Short Trail | ~40 km | 149 |
| Long Trail | ~80 km | 125 |
| Mountain Classic U23 | ~15 km | 59 |
| Total | 333 |
Team Philippines, race by race
The athletes come from across Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, with hometowns including Benguet and Baguio City, Antique, Iloilo, Cebu, Bukidnon, Davao del Sur, Cotabato, South Cotabato and Zamboanga del Sur.
Long Trail (~80 km)
The Long Trail squad carries the team’s deepest experience. It is led by John Ray Onifa, the 2024 Short Trail champion, whose ITRA score of 889 is the highest on the team. The men’s team won silver in 2024, and Arnie Macañeras (8th in 2024) and Larry Apolinario (6th in 2024) are back. They are joined by Joebert Elmaguin, who will make his APTRC debut after winning the 2026 9Dragons (Asia Trail Master, Hong Kong) and the Philippine national titles in 2025 and 2026. John Ray, Arnie and Joebert swept the top three spots at the SEA Trail Running Cup in July.
The women’s team is led by Elizabeth Dangadang, who finished 6th in 2024. She is joined by Mary Anne Abellana and Ruby Joy Oloy, currently ranked 2nd and 4th among Filipino women, and Lady Joy Benitez. Angelie Cabalo, still one of Southeast Asia’s top long-trail runners, also toes the start line. The women’s team also dominated at the recent SEA Trail Running Cup.
Short Trail (~40 km)
Romnick Tongkaling, who placed 11th in 2024 in his first race overseas, leads the men’s team with 825 ITRA points. He and his equally young teammates, Marlou Agbona, Jhaymore Pugoy and Eldy Bulod, will face more experienced runners as they try to build on the team’s 2024 silver medal. The women’s team blends youth and experience: Joy Beltran (12th at HK100 2026) and Kana Antonio (multiple podium finishes in the region) lead Alyza Sumacyab and Yashshara Daligdig. Veteran Sandi Menchi Abahan also toes the line for the Philippines. Both the men’s and women’s teams won team gold at the SEA Trail Running Cup.
Mountain Classic U23 (~15 km)
This is the Philippines’ first U23 team at the APTRC. Every athlete at it arrives after a strong showing at the SEA Trail Running Cup, where the squad won multiple medals in the Mountain Classic and Vertical Kilometer events. Ken Oliver Liboon and Charlotte Muyco also bring experience from the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, where they were among the few Asians on the Mountain Classic start line.
- Ken Oliver Liboon, 19: his ITRA score of 750 is the highest in the squad.
- John Rey Daya, 19, and Christone Dinawanao, 20: new to the national team and making their APTRC debut.
- Charlotte Muyco, 22: two-time medalist in the senior Mountain Classic at the 2024 SEA Trail Running Cup.
- Juliana Banua, 14, and Cessa Monterde, 16: the two youngest athletes on the team.
Meet the team
Long Trail (~80 km)
| Athlete | Age | Hometown | ITRA score |
| John Ray Onifa | 35 | Antique | 889 |
| Arnie Macañeras | 35 | Davao del Sur | 818 |
| Larry Apolinario | 30 | Antique | 818 |
| Joebert Elmaguin | 26 | Iloilo | 818 |
| Elizabeth Dangadang | 37 | Benguet and Baguio City | 689 |
| Mary Anne Abellana | 28 | Cebu | 664 |
| Ruby Joy Oloy | 29 | Cotabato | 611 |
| Lady Joy Benitez | 35 | Iloilo | 545 |
Short Trail (~40 km)
| Athlete | Age | Hometown | ITRA score |
| Romnick Tongkaling | 20 | Davao del Sur | 825 |
| Jhaymore Pugoy | 26 | Bukidnon | 741 |
| Marlou Agbona | 22 | Zamboanga del Sur | 737 |
| Eldy Bulod | 26 | Davao del Sur | 685 |
| Joy Beltran | 23 | South Cotabato | 594 |
| Kana Antonio | 33 | Benguet and Baguio City | 584 |
| Alyza Sumacyab | 22 | Baguio City | 541 |
| Yashshara Daligdig | 23 | Cotabato City | 538 |
Mountain Classic U23 (~15 km)
| Athlete | Age | Hometown | ITRA score |
| Ken Oliver Liboon | 19 | Antique | 750 |
| John Rey Daya | 19 | Davao del Sur | 745 |
| Christone Dinawanao | 20 | Davao del Sur | 688 |
| Cessa Monterde | 16 | Bukidnon | 570 |
| Charlotte Muyco | 22 | South Cotabato | 568 |
| Juliana Banua | 14 | Davao del Sur | 547 |
The competition
On paper, Team Philippines faces a deep, experienced field. China, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia bring runners with years of international racing, and the field is on average about seven years older than the Filipino team. To prepare, the team has trained since May at the PHILTRA training camp in Kapatagan, Digos, Davao del Sur, under a coaching program by Coach Andy DuBois of Mile 27.
Goals for APTRC 2026
PHILTRA aims to improve its 2024 medal count, give its younger athletes high-level competition experience, and give its first U23 team a proper debut at the Asia Pacific level. The Philippines races for the podium and plants the seeds of its next golden generation. Let us cheer for them as they represent the flag this November.
Beyond the medals, the APTRC is about camaraderie. It lets our athletes line up beside the best runners from every nation and push one another to grow, both on the trail and off it
Follow Team Philippines at APTRC 2026 on PHILTRA’s channels. For partnership or media inquiries, contact info@philtra.ph or +63 939 908 3616.
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