White: Hoping for better results in ’17 Mini Games

Northern Marianas Sports Association president Michael A. White is a bit disappointed that CNMI athletes failed to win any medal in the XV Pacific Games held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea last July 4 to 18.

CNMI athletes will have less than two years left to prepare for the 2017 Pacific Mini Games in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Photo above shows the flags of nations that participated in this year’s edition of the Games in Papua New Guinea outside the athletes’ village. (Contributed Photo)

White, however, expressed optimism that local athletes will bounce back in 2017 when Vanuatu hosts the 10th edition of the Pacific Mini Games in Port Vila.

“I am disappointed that we did not win any medals. [But] our athletes know what they need to do to become competitive—the answer is increased commitment—and I’m hoping for improved results at the 2017 Mini Games,” said White in an email to the Saipan Tribune.

White added that despite failing to clinch a podium finish, local athletes tried very hard in competing against the region’s top and well-funded sports programs.

“However, I know that most of our athletes put in a great deal of effort and personal sacrifice,” White said.

CNMI sent a 35-member delegation and Commonwealth athletes competed in athletics, beach volleyball, bodybuilding, golf, sailing, swimming, triathlon, and va’a.

White also praised the efforts of CNMI athletes especially veteran swimmer Victoria Chentsova, who missed a podium finish twice.

“We did have some outstanding personal performances, particularly Victoria Chentsova, who had two fourth-place finishes,” he added.

Beo Ngirchongor made it to the semifinals of the 200-meter run after finishing third overall in the second heat with 24.29 seconds. He failed to advance in the finals as only the Top 8 advanced.

Ngirchongor, who won the 400m hurdles and 400m run gold medals in last year’s Micronesian Games in Pohnpeii, also finished 15th out of 20 runners in the 400m run with a time of 54.57 seconds.

He also ran in the 400m hurdles at the Sir John Guise Stadium where he finished fourth in his heat with a time of 1:0615.

The CNMI beach volleyball team of Andrew Johnson and Clay McCullough-Stearns finished seventh overall following an 18-21, 21-19, 15-5 win over Tuvalu in the classification round.

Bodybuilders Donivan Mendiola and Aaron Tomokane managed to enter the semifinals of the men’s Under 80-kilograms and Under 75kg weight divisions at the Caritas Technical Secondary School.

In men’s golf at the Port Moresby Golf Club, Franco Santos was the highest finisher among the four-member squad placing 29th out of 54 par-busters.

The father-and-daughter sailing team of Tony Stearns and Emma Rose McCullough-Stearns came in fifth overall in the Hobie Cat team event with 216 points, while landing ninth with 89 points in the Hobie Cat mixed category.

CNMI triathletes Peter Prestley (1:23:22), Tony Stearns (1:33:14), and Brad Ruszala (1:37:30) finished 18th, 20th, and 21st overall, respectively.

The men’s va’a team was a few seconds short of clinching a finals berth in both the 500m and 1,500m events. They finished fourth in their heats and repechage in both events losing the finals berth to Guam and Fiji.

Ketson Kabiriel was a bright spot in their campaign as he managed to enter the finals of the men’s 15K individual event where he finished seventh overall with a time of 1:48:42.35.