CNMI athletics team qualifiers set

The CNMI’s Orrin Pharmin, second left, competes in the 110m hurdles during the 8th Micronesian Game in Pohnpei in 2014. Northern Marianas Athletics will hold a series of qualifiers for both the 9th Micronesian Games and Oceania Micronesian Regional Championships, starting on April 30. (Contributed Photo)

Northern Marianas Athletics will be holding a series of qualifying events for the CNMI team that will see action in two regional competitions this year.

NMA is preparing for the 2018 Oceania Micronesian Regional Championships set on Saipan from June 14 to 16 at the Oleai Sports Complex and the 9th Micronesian Games in Yap from July 15 to 27.

The qualifiers will start on April 30 from 4pm to 6:30pm at the Oleai track oval. They will continue on May 19 from 1pm up to the time when there’s still sunlight, while the last two qualifiers are scheduled on June 1 and 2 and will run from 4pm to 7pm and 2pm to 6pm, respectively.

NMA official Elias Rangamar said the qualifying event is open to anyone even to high school students or under 18 athletes who will be joining next week’s All Schools qualifiers.

“Either they are training by themselves or have been training with us for quite some time, anybody can join. This is an open event and we have qualifying standards to base their performances,” Rangamar told Saipan Tribune.

“Once they qualified or became a member of the CNMI team, they need to join our training,” he added.

Rangamar said the standards set are based on the results of the previous Micro Games, four years ago in Palikir, Pohnpei.

“The standards are in no way meant to exclude athletes; they are a genuine attempt to ensure that athletes who are capable of competing for the Games and deserving of slots on the team are selected,” the NMA official said.

The men’s open qualifying standards are 11.30 seconds (100 meter run), 23.00 seconds (200m run), 53 seconds (400m run), 2:12.00 (800m run); 4:45.00 (1,500m run), 19:00.00 (5,000m run), 40:00.0 (10,000m run), 1:25:00 (half marathon), 19.00 seconds (110m hurdles), 1:05.00 (400m hurdles), 1.60 meters (high jump), 5.6m (long jump), 11m (triple jump), 35m (discus), 11m (shot put), 22m (hammer throw), 45m (javelin), and 3,500 points (octathlon).

The women’s open qualifying standards are 13.70 seconds (100 meter run), 28.00 seconds (200m run), 1:07.00 (400m run), 2:45.00 (800m run); 5:45.00 (1,500m run), 24:00.00 (5,000m run), 56:00.0 (10,000m run), 1:42:00 (half marathon), 20 seconds (100m hurdles), 1:20.00 (400m hurdles), 1.30 meters (high jump), 4.4m (long jump), 8.5m (triple jump), 26m (discus), 9.5m (shot put), 20m (hammer throw), 30m (javelin), and 3,200 points (heptathlon).

For more information about the trials, call Rangamar at 234-6672.