Ngirchongor, Abrams are top athletes

Micronesian Games multiple medalists Beouch Ngirchongor and Rachel Abrams were named the Northern Marianas Sports Association Male and Female Athletes of the Year in a well-attended ceremony last night at the Kanoa Resort’s Seaside Grill.

From left, Beo Ngirchongor, Rachel Abrams, Gabrielle Race, and Robbie Schoor pose with their respective awards during the NMSA Annual Sports Banquet last night at the Seaside Hall of Kanoa Resort.
(Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Robbie Schorr and multisport athlete Gabrielle Race, meanwhile, clinched the Tan Siu Lin Student Athletes of the Year for their remarkable feats in their respective chosen fields.

Ngirchongor ruled the 400m hurdles and 400m run where he broke the decade-old record of 53 seconds of Hall of Famer Tony Ichiou when he clocked 52.80 in last year’s Micro Games in Pohnpei.

He was one of the seven that were named the July Athletes of the Month including weightlifter David Barnhouse Jr., and the 1,500m va’a team composed of Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel, James P. Aldan, Carter Calma, Benusto Olopai, Jason Tarkong, and Joshua Andrew.

Ngirchongor’s record-breaking feat in Pohnpei earned him the moniker “The Beast” as he won both of his events by leading from start to finish enjoying a wide distance from his opponents.

Abrams won three gold medals in the 2014 Micro Games ruling the 200m run by clocking in 26.29 seconds to break Yvonne Bennett’s 26.41 time set in the 2010 Micro Games in Palau. She then added the 100m hurdles and high jump gold medals.

“I would stay in athletics. This is where I started and excelled in,” said Abrams, who is studying elementary education at the Northern Marianas College and hopes to someday teach.

The 13-year-old Schorr was a member of the North Pacific team composed of Asia Raulersson, Ami Tsukagoshi, Luther Lizama, and Colin Ramsey that competed in the 2014 Pacific Oceania Junior Championship.

He was a semifinalist in the POJC’s Under-12 division to earn a spot on the Pacific Oceania touring team.

Race, who started in tennis, also played basketball, soccer, athletics, and swimming and excells in all of them.

She helped Marianas High School clinch the girls’ basketball, football, and swimming titles in the Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization.

“I plan to concentrate in soccer. I train twice a week with the CNMI women’s national team and play for Shirley’s FC in the women’s league,” said Race, who is aiming to continue playing soccer when she goes to college in the mainland.