Team CNMI stoked to compete in Oceania Champioships

The CNMI National Athletics Team, from left, Zarinae Sapong, Liamwar Rangamar, Michael Mancao, Tiana Cabrera, and Tania Tan after their first practice in Mackay, Australia yesterday.(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The CNMI National Athletics Team will start their campaign in the 2022 Oceania Athletics Championships in Mackay, Australia today and all of them are excited for the opportunity to compete in a regional event again after the COVID-19 pandemic essentially limited them to local meets the past couple of years.

Michael Mancao, who will compete in the steeplechase and 800m, said he’s honored to represent the CNMI in this year’s Oceania Athletics Championships.

“I had a very exciting and nervous day today. I was able to try out the track in Mackay and it feels good. I’m still trying to get use to the weather, but other than that everything was awesome. I’m so honored to be selected to be on this trip and to be competing in the high level of competition. I’m expecting to lower my times for the 800m and try my best on the 3000m steeplechase,” he said.

Like Mancao, Tania Tan thanked Northern Marianas Athletics for choosing her to compete in the 2022 Oceania Athletics Championships.

“I’m very grateful to have this opportunity to come to Australia to compete. It’s always an honor competing for our islands so I’m just going to do my best! I know the competition is much higher in this meet, since it is the Oceania Champs so I’m just hoping to race well and set a new personal best,” she said.

The Fordham University track varsity will try her hand—or more precisely her feet—in the 10K and 5K events.

For Tiana Cabrera, the Oceania Athletics Championships serves as only the second off-island meet for the Saipan International School student following her stint in the Asia Pacific Cross Country Championships in Japan in 2019.

“I am so blessed and grateful to represent the Northern Mariana Islands and it’s an honor to be able to compete in Australia. I am excited, but nervous and overwhelmed because I’m the youngest in the group of CNMI, but I have no expectations but to get out there and do my best!”

Orrin Pharmin, who will suit up in the masters events, said he’s using the Oceania Athletics Championships as a warm-up for the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 happening later this month.

He’s officially entered in eight events in Mackay—the 100m, 400m, 110m hurdles, javelin, shotput, high jump, 60m, and 200m.

CNMI National Athletics coach Dr. Ron Snyder said soon after the team arrived in Australia they were able to practice on a river path. He said Tan ran 5 miles, Cabrera did a 5K, while Pharmin and Mancao stretched their legs with a 3K.

In their first stop in Guam, the team was also able to do some training at the John F. Kennedy High School track before proceeding to Manila, Philippines for their connecting flight to Australia.

All in all, Snyder said Team CNMI is ready for the 2022 Oceania Athletics Championships.

“The weather is great…it’s in the mid-70s and sunny… Morale is good… We ate dinner last night with the teams from the island federations,” he said.

Aside from Tan, Cabrera, Mancao, and Pharmin, the other members of Team CNMI are Lia Rangamar and Zari Sapong. Sapong is entered in the 100m and 200m, while Rangamar inherits one of her mother’s favorite events the javelin.