Repeat winners at Silver Streak

Familiar faces crossed the finish line of the18th Annual Tom Picarro “Silver Streak” Memorial Fun Run first last Saturday.

In the men’s division, Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel completed the 4.2-mile race in 27 minutes and one second for the fastest time among 94 runners. Mamiko Oshima-Berger won the women’s division with her time of 27:21, which was also the second best time overall.

Kabiriel and Oshima-Berger also ruled last year’s race. Kabiriel said Saturday’s event marked the seven straight year that he topped the race named after the former. DFS Galleria Saipan president. For Oshima-Berger, she had won the event three times and last Saturday’s was her personal best time, eclipsing her 27:34 record last year.

Kabiriel’s winning time in last weekend’s event was slower than his personal best of 25 minutes. Last year, he timed in at 25:54 in the race that started in front of DFS Galleria to the World War II Tanks at Quartermaster Road and back.

“I was really slow this year. I was just trying to take a good run and was expecting Tom Linden or Butch to win the race,” Kabiriel said.

The three runners stayed with each other until they made a turn at Quartermaster Road where Kabiriel started pulling out, as he noticed his two companions were not speeding up.

“I just decided to go for it,” said Kabiriel, who led by only 53 seconds against Sublemente (27:54) and more than a minute over Tamio Nishikido (28:28) and Linden (28:54).

Kabiriel and Oshima-Berger both admitted they got off to a slow start, as the road was a bit slippery. It rained about 30 minutes before the race started past 6:30am, making the course damp.

The Top 2 overall finishers received special prizes from DFS, while the Top 3 age group winners also took home various prizes. The list includes first placers Edwin Kim and Joshalyn Flores (U10 age group); Joel Tudela and Reylynn Sapong (11 to 20); Darwin Barbo and Chie Fukumori (21 to 30); Nap Dizon and Yumiko Mizuno (31 to 35); Sublemente and Chun Yu Lu (36 to 40); Nishido and Akane Imaya (41 to 45); Linden and Irma Halaby (46 to 50); Florence Antonio and Yumiko Kawahara (51 to 55); Steve Pixley and Suzy Kindel (56 to 60); and Richard Pierce and Bobbi Grizzard (61 and up).

Meanwhile, Silver Streak organizer Wolf Mojica thanked volunteers and Northern Marianas Athletics officials for their assistance during the morning race.