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Repeat winners in Rotary McFun Run
Mamiko Berger, left, and Keith Longuski flash the No. 1 sign after winning the 10K event in last Saturday’s Rotary McFun Run. (Contributed Photo)
Familiar faces emerged as top finishers in last Saturday’s 2016 Rotary McFun Run.
Mamiko Berger, who ruled the 10K division in the inaugural event last year, placed second overall, but first in the women’s division after completing the race from Carolinian Utt in Garapan to Oleai Beach Bar and back in 37:13, which was faster than her 2015 time. The CNMI’s veteran middle and long distance runner submitted 42:21 last year when the 10K course started at the American Memorial Park with a turnaround across Hakubotan in Beach Road.
In the men’s division, Keith Longuski won with the field’s fastest time of 34:40. Longuski moved up to the longer race after conquering last year’s 5K event with his time of 20:05.
Longuski’s time in 2015 was eclipsed by Agape Christian School’s Hao Yu Chen, who registered 18:31 to place ahead of the pack in the 5K race and also won the boys U19 division. Micronesian Games veteran Noriko Jim duplicated Chen’s record-breaking time as the former logged 21:09 in last weekend’s event to surpass the 23:48 she posted when she prevailed in the women’s 5K contest last year. This year’s 5K event also had a course change with runners also starting at Carolinian Utt and turning around across Star Marianas Water in Beach Road.
Meanwhile, the other 5K top finishers in their respective age groups were Angel Marie Tan, Stephanie Moline, Pipit Ball, Gary Bandoja, Steven Pixley, and Jane Stewart.
Tan made it to the finish line at the 29:22 mark to take top honors in the women’s 19 and under, while Moline clocked in at 26:05 to win in the 20 to 29 division. In the women’s 30 to 39, Ball submitted a field best 22:48, while Bandoja had the fastest time (21:25) in the men’s 40 to 49. In the over 50, Pixley and Stewart timed in at 21:27 and 25:54, respectively, to bag the first place medal in the men’s and women’s divisions.
Medals were also awarded to the top finishers in each age group in the 10K race. The list includes Chang Whan Jang, Lorie Hutchison, Conatsu Kaga, Caleb Wang, Charlie Sendin, and Fr. James Balajadia.
Nearly 300 hundred joined last weekend’s race, surpassing 2015’s count of 196. McDonald’s Saipan and Rotary Club of Saipan jointly organized the event.
