ROME – Italy-based runner Lorenzo Castro Jr. emerged the best Filipino runner after securing 18th place in the 30th Acea Run Rome the Marathon dominated by the elite Kenyans over the weekend.

Castro bucked slippery roads and crossed the finish line of the men’s 42.195-kilometer race in two hours, 31 minutes, and 13 seconds on Sunday.

Among some 28,000 participants were at least 100 Filipinos, many of them based in Europe.

Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri waved the Italian flag to kick off the race at 8:15 a.m. at Fori Imperiali, passing through famous landmarks such as the Colosseum, Arc of Constantine and St. Peter’s Basilica.

The marathon ended at Circo Massimo, an ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue.

As expected, the Kenyan runners swept the men’s and women’s categories, with Robert Ngeno claiming his first marathon victory with a personal best 2:07.35 while Betty Chepkwony won her second Rome Marathon title in 2:26.16, two years after her initial success.