Gross dominates javelin, shotput in open meet

Nick Gross competes in the javelin throw event in the 9th Micronesian Games last Thursday in Yap. (Hiroyuki Mori)

Public School System athletics program director Nick Gross showed everyone how it’s done, dominating the two field events in last Saturday’s Northern Marianas Athletics’ Track and Field Open Meet at the Oleai track and field.

The bemedaled CNMI national athletics team mainstay showed he still has a lot left in the tank by registering the longest distances overall in the javelin and shotput.

The 33-year-old Gross topped the javelin with a throw of 45.84m to claim the men’s 35-and-over masters division. Come-backing Tony Ichiuo finished second in the masters age group with a hurl of 37.94m, while Gregory Borja rounded out the Top 3 with a distance of 21.98m.

The Dickinson State University alumnus also excelled in shotput, registering a throw of 9.27 to outclass the opposition. Ichiuo and Borja were left settling for the breadcrumbs with heaves of 7.96m and 7.34m, respectively.

Gross told Saipan Tribune that more than winning, he was just overjoyed on the turnout last weekend.

“It’s just fun to compete again and happy to see others come out! NMA is planning on another round of events in July. Hopefully, in the lead-up to our hosting of the 2022 Pacific Mini Games, we’ll be able to continue conducting events and getting more and more people interested,” he said, whose personal best in the javelin is a throw of 60m.

In his career donning the CNMI’s colors, Gross has collected two gold medals in the Micronesian Area Championships, a silver in the 2010 Micronesian Games in Palau, a bronze in the 2018 Micro Games in Yap, and a bronze in the 2008 Oceania Track Championships on Saipan.

In the men’s open javelin, Orrin Pharmin got first place with a heave of 35.41m with Lyle Andrew coming in second with his 27.78m. In the women’s open discus, Cassandra Denise O. Camacho won with a throw of 18.33m, followed by Elly Aguon (13.61m) and Denis Myers (12.7m).

The 18-and-under division saw Joseph Pangelinan took the boys crown with a heave of 26.6m with Tyler Andrew’s 22.6m good for second. In the women’s age group, Leani DLG Acosta took the tiara with a throw of 25.23m, followed by Angellyn Roligat and Maria Dolores Camacho Rasa with distances of 21m and 17.78m, respectively.

Pharmin, Andrew, and Simon Necesito finished 1-2-3 in the men’s open shotput with throws of 7.76m, 7.75m, and 6.51m, respectively. Women’s open’s Cassandra Camacho then surprised the men by hurling the shotput farther than them with a distance of 8.55m, which was second to Gross’ overall best throw for the weekend.

Rasa topped the girls 18-and-under shotput with a throw of 6.64m to beat Roligat’s 6.61m. In the boys 18-and-under, Joseph Pangelinan went solo and threw for a distance of 6.86.

In the long jump, Acosta won the girls 18-and-under by leaping a distance of 4.34m. She was followed by Cassandra Cruz and Rasa with jumps of 3.84m and 3.74m, respectively. Pangelinan topped the boys 18-and-under with a leap of 4.58m, followed by Michael Rodgers (4.4m) and Jiahang Wu (4.17m).