MANILA, Philippines – Filipina marathoner Mary Joy Tabal struggled with Brazil's noontime heat on Sunday, and finished outside her targeted time in the women's marathon event of the Rio Olympics.

Tabal went into the event hoping to surpass her personal best of two hours, 43 minutes and 31 seconds in the race that started and ended at the Sambrodome, the venue of the world-famous Rio Carnival.

However, Tabal could not live up to her own expectations as she suffered terribly under the heat. She finished with a time of 3:02:27, good for only 124th among 157 starters.

Jemima Jelagat Sumgong gave Kenya its first Olympic gold in women's marathon, winning with a time of 2:24:04, which is just under a minute off the Olympic record.

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Eunice Jepkirul Kirwa of Bahrain took the silver medal in 2:24:13 while Ethiopian Mare Dibaba bagged bronze.

Three runners from the United States finished inside the top 10, joined by one more entry from Ethiopia, Belarus, Bahrain and the People's Republic of Korea.

The top finishers were already done with the press interviews along the finish line area when the lone Filipina entry crossed the finish, cheered on by the crowd.

Tabal was 38 minutes and 23 seconds behind the winner from Kenya.

So exhausted was Tabal that she was on the verge of collapse after the race and had to be attended to by the Rio Olympics medical staff. It took her some time to regain her composure, but declined the offer of a wheelchair.

A total of 24 runners did not finish the race.

Tabal said she saw runners quit during the race, most of them in the final 10 kilometers. Runners crossing the finish line and falling to the ground was a common sight.

"Yung iba, talagang tumutumba na sa daan," she said. "Masyado mainit kanina. Minsan, gusto ko na din tumigil, pero pinilit ko tapusin ang karera. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, hindi ako papayag na DNF (did not finish) ang Pilipinas."

"Kaya slowly but surely, tinapos ko. Hindi ko na inisip 'yung time," she added.

It was a gallant effort for Tabal, who said on the eve of the race that she was hoping to finish in two hours and 40 minutes. The heat, however, slowed her down.

Tabal also rued the lack of water stations along the 42.195-km route, but refused to blame it for her failure.

All the other runners went through the same ordeal. Others said Tabal suffered from burnout after running a marathon too many this year.

"Ginawa ko na lang lahat ng makakaya ko para makatapos. Sa last 10 kilometers para na talagang bibigay ang katawan ko," said Tabal.

"Pero nasa Olympics pa naman ako kaya pinilit ko talaga. Inisip ko na lang ang mga kababayan natin na nanonood sa akin. Hindi ako puwede tumigil, " she added. -- Abac Cordero

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