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CNMI eyes 2 gold medals
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- Robbie Schorr makes a return during his and Colin Sinclair’s men’s doubles game against New Caledonia’s William Bruchard and Macaco Rouas in the XVI Pacific Games yesterday at the Apia Park Tennis Courts in Samoa. (Lydia Tan)
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- Colin Sinclair follows through with his shot to Vanuatu’s Clement Mainguy during their semis match in the men’s singles event of the XVI Pacific Games yesterday at the Apia Park Tennis Courts in Samoa. (Lydia Tan)
Tennis players Colin Sinclair and Robbie Schorr boosted the CNMI’s chances of bringing home two more gold medals after reaching the finals of the men’s singles and doubles events in the XVI Pacific Games yesterday at the Apia Park Tennis Courts in Samoa.
Sinclair moved into the gold medal game in the men’s singles play after sweeping Vanuatu’s Clement Mainguy in the semifinals, 6-1, 6-2. The No. 1 seed’s victory over Mainguy also guaranteed the CNMI a silver medal.
Sinclair will try to give the Commonwealth its second gold medal today when he takes on Papua New Guinea’s Matthew Stubbings in the finals at 9am (6am Saipan time). Stubbings, the No. 2 seed in the field, made it to the gold medal match after eliminating Tahiti and No. 15 Heimanarii Lai San, 6-2, 6-4. The PNG player is a familiar foe for Sinclair, as the CNMI bet faced and defeated Stubbings in the first singles match in the team event finals last week. Stubbing was up in their first meeting, 2-0, but that was it for him, as Sinclair buckled down to work and swept the next 12 games to finish off the PNG player.
After the men’s singles finale, Sinclair will have his second match today, as he and Schorr compete for the men’s doubles gold medal against Tonga and brothers Matavao and Semisi Fanguna. Schorr and Sinclair booked a finals ticket in the men’s doubles after downing New Caledonia’s William Bruchard and Macaco Rouas, 6-3, 6-1. Earlier in the first semis game, the Fangunas outlasted Samoa and siblings Marvin and Leon Soonalole, 6-2, 3-6, 10-5.
Meanwhile, Sinclair may play in his third gold medal game, depending on the results of his and Carol Lee’s rained-out semis match in the mixed doubles.
The CNMI bets were ahead against the Cook Islands’ Brett Baudinet and Tamara Anderson, 4-3, when the game was halted due to heavy showers. The match will resume after Sinclair’s two final matches in the morning.
The other mixed doubles semis was also rained-out with No. 1 and PNG’s Abigal Tere-Apisah and Stubbings set to take on American Samoa’s Kalano Soli and Christian Duchnak.
PB for Quitugua
Sprinter Traven Quitugua had his second and last event in the athletics competition at the Apia Park Stadium and earned a personal best in the 200m race last Wednesday.
Quitugua ran on Heat 2 of the qualifiers and clocked in at 23.27 seconds, a new PB, according to Northern Marianas Athletics secretary general Robin Sapong.
Beo Ngirchongor also did the 200m race and submitted 25.58 seconds on Heat 3.
In the women’s 200m qualifying runs yesterday, Zarinae Sapong logged 27.40 seconds on Heat 2, finishing ahead of six runners.
Lia Rangamar was also scheduled to compete yesterday, but results of the javelin throw were unavailable as off press time last night.
