POWERade, NMA ink two-year partnership

Northern Marianas Athletics got another big boost to its growing program.

Coca-Cola Beverage Co. Micronesia, distributor of POWERade in the CNMI, announced in a press release yesterday that it has signed a two-year partnership with NMA.

“We are committed to supporting our CNMI athletes”, said Kathryn Barry, sales and marketing director for Coca-Cola Micronesia. “The next few months will be exciting for Northern Marianas Athletics and the CNMI National Track and Field Team and we are so proud to be a part of that.”

POWERade’s relationship with NMA began on December when POWERade sponsored the 2nd Micronesia Athletics Championships. POWERade was also the beverage sponsor of the CNMI National Track and Field Championships and the 2006 McDonald’s All Schools Track and Field Championships, which was held last Saturday.

“NMA is delighted to become partners with Coca-Cola Micronesia and POWERade for the coming years. This partnership will help the CNMI athletes to successfully compete against other Oceania track athletes,” said NMA president Dr. Kurt Barnes.

NMA was founded in 1990 as the Northern Mariana Islands Track and Field Federation. However, since many other sports federations have similar acronyms, the board of directors changed the name of the federation to Northern Marianas Athletics last year.

NMA is a member of Oceania Athletics Association, which has its headquarters in Australia. Oceania is recognized as a region to the International Amateur Athletics Federation, the worldwide governing body of athletics.

NMA is now one of the most respected athletics organizations in OAA and in Micronesia. With the recently installed all-weather track facility in Oleai, NMA has hosted a world class athletics meet as well as many locally promoted meets. NMA and the CNMI was also the first nation in Oceania to receive training in “Kids Athletics,” a new concept introduced to the CNMI last December to promote athletics among the youth.

Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world’s most-valuable brand, the company markets four of the world’s Top 5 soft drink brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, and Sprite and a wide range of other beverages, including light and diet soft drinks, waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees and sports drinks.

POWERade combines carbohydrates with fluids for energy and hydration. It quenches thirst and replenishes minerals and carbohydrates lost during sports or other intense activities.

For further information about POWERade, please visit www.powerade.com.

For more information about NMA, contact NMA coaches director Elias Rangamar at 664-2500 or email at eli_rang@yahoo.com, or email NMA secretary general Robin Sapong at spong@pticom.com.