Sinclair, Tan humbled, thankful after being named top athletes

Sinclair

Colin Sinclair and Tania Tan may not have been present to accept their Athlete of the Year awards during last week’s 2022 NMSA Annual Sports Award Banquet, but there was certainly no absence of appreciation from the tennis and track star.

“I’d like to say that I’m very humbled to receive the award. It was an honor to represent the NMI in our home games. It was a really special experience for me to just get the opportunity to come back to the island,” said Sinclair.

Tan

The current 263rd ranked player in the ATP Tour, who spent his early years on Saipan, said beside winning medals in last year’s Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022, he also was most proud of how successfully the CNMI hosted the quadrennial event. 

“I’d like to say a big thank you to the Mini Games Organizing Committee for putting on an extraordinary event. Every athlete we talked to from the other islands told us that this was the ‘best Games yet.’ From the incredible facilities to the flawless organization it truly was,” said the 2022 NMSA Male Athlete of the Year.

The veteran of the Pacific Oceania Davis Cup Team also thanked longtime national tennis coach and Sports Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Race and tennis coordinator Lydia Tan for all their hard work during the Games.

“They put in countless hours before and during the Games to get the courts resurfaced and all the matches completed,” said Sinclair, who also won the Male Athlete of the Year award in 2019.

Sinclair prevailed in the Mini Games men’s singles event and teamed up with Robbie Schorr in the men’s doubles finals win. Sinclair, Schorr, Bobby Cruz, and Colin Ramsey also topped the men’s team event, while Sinclair and Isabel Herras finished with the bronze in the mixed doubles. 

Tan, for her part, said she wouldn’t have achieved so much in her young athletics career without the support of many people.

“I want to thank my parents, family, friends, coaches on Saipan and Fordham University, and my teammates for constantly supporting me and pushing me to get better each day. And of course, everyone back home in the NMI for the continual support, even when I’m back in New York. I wouldn’t have won this award and be here without everyone supporting me,” said Tan, who also won the 2018 Female Student Athlete of the Year award.

Tan won the Female Athlete of the Month awards in January and April 2022 in her sport of athletics. Tan, who is a member of New York’s Fordham University cross country team, reset the NMI indoor record in the 3,000m run with her time of 10:57.58 in the Ramapo Season Opener. 

Tan also won the monthly plum in April after resetting two national records—the first one in the 5,000m run at the 56th Annual Colonia Relay in Virginia and then the 10K race in the Metropolitan Outdoor Track and Field Championships in New York. Tan later won a gold in the 10K event in the Oceania Athletics Championships and silver in the 5K.