Senate adopts resolution hailing Julie Uychiat for World Marathon Challenge win

The Senate on Tuesday adopted a resolution commending Julie Uychiat for being the first Filipina to finish the World Marathon Challenge and won four of the seven marathons in its 2023 edition.

Senator Joel Villanueva sponsored the proposed Senate Resolution No. 471 during the session on Tuesday.

“What better way to celebrate Women’s Month than honoring the Pinay nurse who made history as she bagged four out of the seven intercontinental marathons in the 2023 World Marathon Challenge women’s category," Villanueva said in his sponsorship speech.

"We are honoring our kababayan Julie Uychiat, a Negros-born nurse and marathoner, as she raised her way to the freezing Antartica down to the low lands of Miami,” he added.

Uychiat placed first in the marathons in Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza, and Miami, while she placed 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, respectively, in the marathons in Perth, Cape Town, and Novo.

As part of her race, the Negros-born nurse is fundraising for the Kalipay Negrense Foundation, a non-profit organization working for the cause of disadvantaged children in her hometown of Negros Occidental.

Uychiat’s run for Kalipay campaign has surpassed its goal of raising P1.37 million, with almost  P1.59 million raised as of February 8, 2023, according to the Senate resolution.

“Nurse Julie represents not only Filipino nurses worldwide but every overseas Filipino excelling in a unique manner of engagement in the respective fields of expertise. Indeed, nurse Julie epitomizes a woman running the world literally and figuratively as expected of Filipinos whose blood amalgamates grace, determination, consistency, and perseverance,” Villanueva said.

Senator Bong Go, chairman of the Senate committee on sports and also co-sponsor the Senate resolution, said her journey inspired the Filipinos to achieve their goals through hard work and dedication.

“Ang mga ganitong karangalan ay tunay na nakakataba ng puso dahil sa kabila ng mga krisis na ating kinakaharap tulad ng pandemya, ang ating mga Pilipinong atleta ay namamayagpag sa mundo ng palakasan at nagbibigay ng malaking inspirasyon sa ating mga kababayan,” Go said.

(These honors are truly heartwarming because despite the crisis we are facing such as the COVID-19 pandemic, our Filipino athletes are making names in the world of sports and giving great inspiration to our countrymen.)

The marathon event started in Antarctica then in Cape Town in South Africa before it moved onto Perth in Australia last February 2. On February 3, the marathon continued in Dubai for the Asian race then in Madrid for the European leg on the 4th.

The seven-day marathon headed to Fortaleza in Brazil on February 5 then wrapped up in Miami on the last day on February 6.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA Integrated News