Tiny feet, big spirit: 1-year-old steals the show at Tanudan Fun Run

FEATURE

TANUDAN, Kalinga — She had the tiniest feet on the starting line, but one-year-old Quiana Maurice Bawer proved that you are never too young to take your first steps toward a life of sports and adventure.

With her parents and older brother by her side, Quiana joined around 300 participants in the Kabataan Tanudan Fun Run on Saturday, August 22, 2026, becoming the event’s youngest participant.

The one-year-and-10-month-old from Balawag, Tabuk City, took on the challenging uphill-and-downhill route stretching through Banagao, Poblacion, and the Akwar Lubo Rice Terraces View Deck.

Well, “took on” might be a bit generous.

For much of the run, Quiana enjoyed the ultimate athlete’s advantage—a loving mom and dad who were more than willing to carry her.

But whenever her tiny legs were ready for action, she got down, walked and even ran alongside the other participants.

Quiana was joined by her parents, Dr. Christalyn and Saul Bawer, and her five-year-old brother, Ckeaneux Ray Bawer, turning the fun run into another family adventure.

For the Bawers, however, sports is more than just a weekend activity.

Christalyn shared with Guru Press Cordillera that she and her husband are both into sports and regularly participate in fun runs and other activities, including volleyball.

Now that they have children, they have turned their love for sports into a family affair.

Their decision to introduce sports to their children at an early age is also partly aimed at keeping them away from spending too much time on gadgets.

“Tapnu at an early age pay lang mang-engganyo da iti sports ken tapnu maiwasan iti more on gadgets,” Christalyn said.

For Quiana, the Tanudan run may have been her first—but hopefully not her last.

And while she may have spent much of the course being carried, she still earned a special distinction: youngest participant.

Quiana received a cash prize for the feat, which was turned over by Vice Mayor Antonio Basungit Jr., Municipal Administrator Atty. Novie Baclili, and Vice Governor Dave Odiem, represented by Jan Jericho Odiem.

The Bawer family’s most recent fun run before Tanudan was the Balawag-Amlao-Suyang Fun Run, held earlier this year—although Quiana did not join that one.

This time, she made sure she was part of the action.

At just one year and 10 months old, Quiana may not yet understand race times, finish lines or personal bests.

But she already knows something more important: sports can be fun, family can be your best teammate, and sometimes, when your legs get tired, Mom and Dad are always ready for the next stretch.