Local athletes finish strong in Oceania

The local men and women of the 2004 Oceania Area Under 18 and Open Athletics Championships have just returned to Saipan, and the CNMI representatives finished off the weekend gaining a wealth of experience in Townsville, Australia.

Under the tutelage of Northern Marianas Track and Field Federation developmental coach Elias Rangamar, the team finished the games with the same intensity and enthusiasm as they did on Day 1.

In his first race with international competitors, Marcan Aldan ran a personal best in the 5,000 meter long distance event, and the youngster from Marianas High School came back to the track to place ninth in a field of 12 in the 1,500m with a time of 4:45.28.

Aldan had some company on the track, as teammate Ketson “Jack” Kabriel returned from a strong showing in the 800m on the opening day of the games, to break his personal record in the 1,500m with a time of 4:56.37. Kabriel also entered the long jump, and finished eighth out of 11 leapers with a distance of 5.10m.

After Jeremy Winkfield finished seventh in the 400-meter sprint in the Under 18 division, the MHS senior looked to rebound in the 200m, and took the seventh spot in the eight-man competition with a time of 25.01. Winkfield later competed in his strongest event, the javelin, on the second day of competition, and took fifth place out of 10 hurlers with a distance of 51.39m.

Winkfield wasn’t the only one using his arms during the games, as Leiseschangmwar Rangamar finished ninth in the shotput on the first day of action. The youngest female athlete in the competition returned to participate in her favorite event, the discus. Rangamar finished in seventh place out of eight competitors with a distance of 24.13m.

Teammate Ann Marie Satur was also entered into the events, but suffered an unfortunate injury to her ankle during practice, and was unable to compete for the remainder of the meet.

Young sprinters Daryl Roligat and Ivan De Vero entered the 100m and 200m sprints, and the pair finished within half a second of each other in both. Roligat managed an 11.77 in the 100m for 11th out of 18 racers, while De Vero took 14th with a time of 11.94.

In the 200m, Roligat held the advantage again, placing 10th out of 16 sprinters as he crossed the line in 23.86—just ahead of De Vero in 12th at 24.39.

The sage of sprinting, Tony Ichiuo, returned from barely missing the semifinals in the men’s 100m open with a fourth place finish, to fall short of his goal of 22 seconds in the 200m. Ichiuo placed 14th out of 19 sprinters with his time of 23.62.