BSS leads; Tinian, WSR close in

Runners in the U7 age group compete in the 200m race during the 2017 PSS/McDonald’s All Schools Track and Field Championships last Friday at the Hopwood Middle School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Brilliant Star School gained the most gold medals in the first three events in the 2017 PSS/McDonald’s All Schools Track and Field Championships, while Tinian Elementary School and William S. Reyes Elementary School are not far behind after last Thursday’s competition at the Hopwood Middle School Field.

BSS won five gold medals and one silver in the boys and girls U7 and U9 age group, while Tinian earned three golds and three silvers, and WSR also bagged three golds aside from two silvers and eight bronzes.

Siblings Moshe and Savita Sikkel gave BSS two gold medals each, while the other gold was courtesy of Casey Chambers.

Moshe topped the boys U7 60m run after clocking in at 10.60 seconds and beating Oleai Elementary School’s Robert Billy (11.37 seconds) and WSR’s James Quindoza (11.63). Moshe did it again in the 100m race after submitting 17.97 seconds against the 18.45 seconds and 18.74 seconds of Billy and Quindoza, respectively.

In the boys U7 softball throw, William King gave Tinian its first gold medal after his 27.30m heave, while WSR notched the silver and bronze after Matteo Sablan (22.40m) and Jheams Sagana (13.50) rounded out the Top 3.

In the girls U7 division, WSR notched a pair of goals with Lyanah Omelau ruling the 60m run (11.32 seconds) and Caitlin Ignacio prevailing in the softball throw (8.91m). Omelau won over Tinian’s Ysabelle Lenteja (12.10) and Saipan International School’s Yuknap Zheung (12.34), while Ignacio finished ahead of SIS’ Yuknap Zheung (6.10m) and WSR’s Aires Magofna (4.29m). Zheung ended her bridesmaid finish in the age group after checking in at 20.29 seconds in the 200m run and downing Lenteja (21.08 seconds) and WSR’s Kaydynce Davis (21.97 seconds).

In the girls U9 division, Savita duplicated her younger brother’s feat after getting the gold medals both in the 60m and 100m sprints. Savita’s 10.07 seconds in the 60m defeat the 10.28 seconds of WSR’s Kialeen Leemarvin and the 10.48 seconds of Oleai’s Kia Ross Nicdao. In the 100m, the BSS student timed in at 16.35 seconds to finish ahead of Nicao (16.70 seconds) and Kailani Laniyo (17.64 seconds).

In the softball throw, SIS earned its second gold medal after Phoenix Gross register 12.74m and topped BSS’ Irin Chung (12.57m) and Davis (11.77m).

In the boys U9 age group, three different schools made it on top of the podium. First up was Tyler Omelau of WSR as he won the 60m race (9.77 seconds) against SIS’ Christian Newman (10.06) and Tinian’s Christopher Cruz (10.34 seconds). Cruz redeemed himself in the 100m as his 16.01 seconds placed him ahead of Newman (16.22) and Omelau (16.54). In the softball throw, Chambers was the runaway winner after logging 26.30m. Tinian’s Matthew Sarmiento (21.60m) and WSR’s Luis Reyes (20.20m) completed the Top 3.

Meanwhile, winners in the 60m, 100m, and softball throw of the boys and girls U11, U13, U15, and U18 along with the events in last Friday and Saturday’s competitions will be reported once the official results are turned in.