No rest for CNMI’s sprint queen

If there will a survey on the busiest athletes in the CNMI as far as competing in regional/international tournaments is concerned, Yvonne Bennett will make the list if not top it.

The Kagman High School senior participated in three tough tournaments since August last year and is on her fourth one.

And Yvonne is not competing in one sport, but two.

The 18-year-old daughter of Ambrose and Lillian Bennett took part in sprint events in the 2007 World Athletics Championships in August last year in Osaka, Japan, and in the Oceania Grand Prix Series and the 2008 Oceania Championships, which Saipan hosted in June this year.

She broke the CNMI’s national record in the 100m when she timed in at 13.16 seconds in Japan. She owns the previous record of 13.57, which she set in the tournament in Guam on the same year.

Bennett shattered the CNMI national mark in the 100m race twice the following year with the first one in the GP Series when she clocked in at 13.13 seconds and the second in the Oceania championships when she posted 12.99 seconds.

Bennett also had outstanding performance in the 200m and 400m, making records in both races. On top of these, she won two bronze medals in the GP Series, which featured top athletes from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and other powerhouse squads in the region.

Later this month, Bennett will be competing in her fourth regional tournament. But this time, the venue will be a basketball court, not a track oval.

She will finally be playing a sport she fell in love first.

“Basketball is my first sport. I started playing it when I was in junior high,” said Bennett, who is among the stalwarts of the Kagman Lady Ayuyus in the high school basketball league and will be playing for the CNMI Junior Nationals in the 2008 Oceania Youth Tournament in Guam later this month.

Her twin sister, Yvette, was the one who introduced her to athletics.

“She signed up for a tournament in school and asked me to try it. At first, I did not feel like I am going to enjoy it. But one tournament after another, I started getting use to it and people are noticing my improvement,” Yvonne said.

Yvonne has been into sprint races only for two years, but has earned the CNMI’s sprint queen title, which good friend Jacque Wonenberg owned before.

Bennett said she and Wonenberg, who shifted to middle distance races and jumping events, do not mind competing against each other.

“It’s a friendly competition. I pushed Jacque to do her best in every race and she does the same for me. The same goes for my twin sister, she tries to break my record, I try to break hers,” Yvonne added.

Yvonne said she decided to get herself involved into sports, not only to stay fit, but to prepare for her future.

“Being an athlete and excelling in your sport will give you an opportunity to apply for a scholarship in college,” she said.

Bennett is currently working on her application with the Arizona State University and another university in the Southwest.

“I hope I can get a scholarship to pursue my college education and at the same time be part of the university’s track team,” said Yvonne, who idolizes Beijing Olympics 200m silver medalist Allyson Felix.

Asked what comes to her mind first once she steps on the starting block, she said “focus on the finish line, never look back, whether you are ahead or behind.”

In basketball, Yvonne said her focus will be on defense and to help the team play competitive games against Oceania cagebelles.

“This will be the first time that the CNMI will be sending a women’s team to the Oceania basketball tournament and we want to make a good mark in Guam,” she said.

After the tournament in Guam, Yvonne said she will be preparing for the high school league and is hoping to give the Lady Ayuyus a title before she graduates.