More than 8,000 runners gathered in Clark in the early hours of Sunday, March 8, 2026, for the 16th TCS Clark Animo International Marathon, marking another milestone for one of Central Luzon’s premier road races and signaling the running community’s continued recovery toward its pre-pandemic peak of 10,000 participants from more than 24 countries and territories.
Organized by the De La Salle Alumni Association–Pampanga Chapter, the event featured race categories including the 42.2 km marathon, 21 km half marathon, 10 km, 5 km, and 2.5 km fun and kids’ run, attracting elite athletes, recreational runners, corporate teams, and families.
“We started with around 600 participants in our first year in 2009,” said Abe Tayag, Race Director and President of the De La Salle Alumni Association Pampanga Chapter. “Today, seeing thousands of runners join the race shows how the event has grown into a meaningful platform promoting health and fitness while supporting community and environmental initiatives.”
Event Chairperson Aries Patawaran emphasized that the race maintains international standards.
“The TCS Clark Animo International Marathon and all its race distances are conducted on WORLD ATHLETICS® certified courses, ensuring accurate distances and internationally recognized results,” Patawaran said. “This is important for runners aiming to qualify for major global races such as the Boston Marathon, while also guaranteeing a high-quality race experience for all participants.”
“TCS is proud to once again support the Clark Animo International Marathon, which energizes the running community and inspires healthy lifestyles and camaraderie among participants,” said Shiju Varghese, Country Head of TCS Philippines. “Athletic events foster unity, resilience, and innovation—values at the heart of TCS’ partnership with communities worldwide.”
Marathon Champions
In the 42.2 km marathon, Welfred Esporma won the men’s division with a time of 2:44:05, followed by Arjay Navida (2:46:28) and Jeremy Enreras (2:50:58). In the women’s division, Jewel De Luna finished first in 3:12:05, with Hazel Mata (3:23:16) second and Lady Madonna (3:41:27) third.
Half Marathon Champions
In the 21 km half marathon, John Paul Cumagun claimed the men’s title in 1:22:14, narrowly ahead of Alfonso Ampalo Jr. (1:22:30) and Juan Antonio Damasig (1:22:31). In the women’s division, Krystal Paa won in 1:38:21, followed by Jenalyn Galvez (1:41:51) and Angela David (1:47:11).
Cash prizes were also awarded in the 10 km and 5 km races. In the 10 km, Daniel Esguerra, Dave Maglaya, and Allorenz Pascual placed first to third in the men’s division, while Merry Joy Trupa, Angel Mae Saysay, and Aika de Vera topped the women’s division. In the 5 km, Lance Tayag, Rusty Cayabyab, and Mari Tayag led the men’s division, while Sam Corpuz, Elaine Quismundo, and Kamilah Lorraine Bumagat finished as the top three in the women’s division.
Adding creativity to the event were the Best Costume Awards, recognizing runners who brought extra flair and fun to the race.
The event also saw strong corporate participation, including over 1,600 runners from title sponsor Tata Consultancy Services, one of the world’s largest multinational information technology consulting companies operating at Nepo Center in Angeles City.
Proceeds from the marathon will support the association’s environmental and community programs, including tree-planting initiatives, maintenance of the Angeles City Watershed, and support for the La Salle Botanical Gardens at Alviera in Porac, Pampanga.
The event was made possible through the support of Title Sponsor Tata Consultancy Services and partners Clark Global City, Angeles Industrial Park Inc., The Hauslands, INBOX Store, Smart Communications, NIKE Clark, SM City Clark, JDN Realty, Pocari Sweat, Cherifer, Ford Clark, Clark Water, KALU Fitness, Stretchlab PH, Lasik Clinic–AUF, Park Inn Clark, Eurotel, ROMAC Services, Meifoods, and Titan Watches, along with numerous donors, volunteers, and supporters.
Media partner CLTV36 provided coverage, with institutional support from the Clark Development Corporation, Bases Conversion and Development Authority, the Angeles City Government, and Mt. Carmel Medical Center–Clark.
Organizers look forward to an even bigger edition next year as the marathon continues to strengthen Clark’s reputation as a premier destination for endurance sports and active lifestyle events.
About Tata Consultancy Services
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) is a digital transformation and technology partner of choice for industry-leading organizations worldwide. Since its inception in 1968, TCS has upheld the highest standards of innovation, engineering excellence and customer service.
Rooted in the heritage of the Tata Group, TCS is focused on creating long term value for its clients, its investors, its employees, and the community at large. With a highly skilled workforce of over 607,000 consultants in 55 countries and 180 service delivery centres across the world, the company has been recognized as a top employer in six continents. With the ability to rapidly apply and scale new technologies, the company has built long term partnerships with its clients – helping them emerge as perpetually adaptive enterprises. Many of these relationships have endured into decades and navigated every technology cycle, from mainframes in the 1970s to Artificial Intelligence today.
TCS sponsors 14 of the world’s most prestigious marathons and endurance events, including the TCS New York City Marathon, TCS London Marathon and TCS Sydney Marathon with a focus on promoting health, sustainability, and community empowerment. TCS generated consolidated revenues of US $30 billion in the fiscal year ended March 21, 2025. For more information, visit www.tcs.com