NMI to be well represented in Asia-Pacific Cross Country

The Northern Mariana Islands will be well represented in today’s Asia Paciffic Invitational High School Cross Country competition.

A group of eight youth distance runners plus their coach left for Guam Wednesday night at 9:30pm in hopes of representing not only their schools but the entire Commonwealth as well.

According to Northern Marianas Athletics secretary general Robin Sapong, the group consists of five runners from Marianas High School and three from Saipan Southern High School.

Representing the Marianas High School Dolphins are national runners Champ Untalan and Nate Mateo, as well as Matt Manacao, Har Tim Williams, and Vince Teregeyo.

Carrying the Saipan Southern High School Manta Rays flag will be Gary Camacho, David Bautista, and Erwin Taitano, who recently have been making their presence felt with impressive performances in local cross country meets and road runs.

Saipan Southern High School will be fielding three runners in the Invitational, while five runners from Marianas High School will also be strutting their stuff in the event, which will run from Oct. 26 to 29.

The group was scheduled to take part in a course preview early yesterday morning.

The first scheduled race is today at 4pm as the eight will challenge a 5-kilometer course at Asan Beach Park.

The competition continues tomorrow with a relay, which gets underway at 6am in Tiyan.

Sapong indicated that competing in the event will serve as a big booster to the development of the runners as they will be faced against runners Guam, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and China.

“It’s going to feature very stiff competition and I know our runners will do their best in representing the CNMI,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have a group competing in this event and luckily for us, it’s held on Guam. So for the small price of the trip, they’ll gain very good experience.”

Among the schools the group will compete against are defending overall champion American School in Japan, the International School of the Sacred Heart, Seoul International School, Brent International School, Christian Academy in Japan, Seoul Foreign School, Simon Sanchez High School, Shanghai American School, Seisen International School, Hong Kong International School, John F. Kennedy High School, International Christian School of Hong Kong, St. Mary’s International School, Guam High School and Yongsan International School of Seoul, and host George Washington High School.

The Top 15 placers in the individual event will receive medals, while the top three high school teams will be awarded trophies.

All first place finishers as well as the top school will receive trophies and plaques.

The group is scheduled to return on Sunday.