CNMI track squad to lean on youth athletes

Ackerman

The Commonwealth is sending 18 athletes to the track and field contest and majority of the members of the squad are young guns. The list includes Rachel Abrams, Lia Rangamar, Denise Samson, Friendly Joy Pena, Zarinae Sapong, Beo Ngirchongor, Brandon Phillip, Dylan Ackerman, Seiya Eda, Michael Mancao, and Jason Lampkin. Completing the team are Micro Games returnees Doris Rangamar, Sylvan Rangamar, Ronald Olopai, and Antonio Ichiou, and newcomers Jesse James, Dan Joab and Jaynard White. Elias Rangamar is the head coach, while Karatel Phillip is the team manager.

Abrams is entered in the sprints, hurdles, field events, and relay races of the Micro Games that will be held from July 20 to 30. The athletics competition will run from July 21 to 23. Lia Rangamar will also join the relays besides participating in the throwing and jumping events and hurdles, while Samson will be the CNMI’s bet in middle distance runs. Sapong and Pena are both entered in sprints, jumping events, and relays, while Dolores Rangamar, who medaled in the 2006 Micronesian Games on Saipan, is back on field events.

Coach Elias Rangamar said the CNMI’s women’s team is capable of giving the Commonwealth several medals in this month’s competition.

“Though we have only six female athletes, I think our female squad will still give us the best chance of duplicating our 2010 performance in Palau. The news of the Bennett sisters and Jacque Wonenberg pulling out of the games was a blow to the team, but I still think the tandem of Rachel Abrams and Lia Rangamar will still garner us enough medals to stay in contention with the other island nations,” Elias said.

In the 7th Micronesian Games in Palau for years ago, the CNMI collected 13 gold medals, 5 silvers, and 7 bronzes in athletics.

“On the men’s side, Beo and Jesse James will anchor the men’s squad against the favorites Palau, Chuuk, and Pohnpei. If we can hold our own in the men events, we should be able to finish in the Top 3,” the head coach added.

James has been dominating distance events on Saipan this year, while Ngirchongor just came from the 2014 Oceania Area Championships held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands last month and raced against the best in the region. In Pohnpei, he will also run in middle distance races and compete in hurdles. Brandon Phillip, who was also in the Oceania tournament, will represent the CNMI in the sprints and jump events in in this year’s Micro Games.

Mancao, Eda, and Ackerman are the Commonwealth’s other choices for the middle distances events. Eda and Ackerman stood out in the 2014 McDonald’s/PSS All Schools Championships and are perennial participants in local races for the past two years. Lampkin also had an outstanding showing in the All Schools and was even named the top athlete in the boys U18 division. He will be competing in jumping events and hurdles in Pohnpei.