With the historic city that stood through millenia serving as a fitting backdrop, Florence-based marathoner Lorenzo Castro Jr. emerged as the fastest Filipino in the Acea Run Rome The Marathon 2025 in Italy on Sunday, March 16. 

Castro, a veteran runner who has been a staple in some of the biggest marathons around Europe, barged into the Top 20 of the race that spanned for more than 42 kilometers in and around Rome and with the iconic Colosseum greeting the runners at the finish line.

He clocked 2 hours, 31 minutes and 13 seconds to become the 18th overall finisher in over 28,000 runners – and 16th in the men's marathon while Fil-Dutch Rachel de Weerd is fastest among female runners with Filipino blood. She posted a time of 3:28:55.

Angelina Sarmiento David, meanwhile, was the fastest Filipina with a time of 3:47:51 -- enough to finish within the Top 350 in the women’s side.

At least 150 Filipinos from around 20 Filipino running clubs and organizations from Italy and across the globe participated in the event as fans and running enthusiasts from the PH community in Rome also flocked the streets to show their support at the Cheer Station at the 29km mark of the race.

Also bringing honor were the six Filipino pacers in the race in Rolando Espina, Fil-Canadian Miguel Garcia, and members of the Santa Teresa Pacing Team in JC, Jeantee, Kara at Cathleen Santa Teresa.