Guam runner rules PIC Half Marathon

Ryan Matienzo of Guam plays along with the cheering crowd, as he heads to the finish line of last Saturday’s 2014 Pacific Islands Club Half Marathon Road Race. (Jon Perez)

Not even a heavy downpour could prevent the 29-year-old runner from finishing the 13-mile course in 1:20:21.97 and claiming the $1,000 top prize.

Matienzo, who was born in Lipa, Batangas, but grew up in Guam, said he encountered no problems on the course even though it rained the entire race. The course started and ended at the south parking lot of Pacific Islands Club in San Antonio with a turnaround at the Garapan Fire Station.

“I’m used to the weather and it is a flat course. It took me two miles to warm up and that’s when I started to break away and put some distance to the other runners,” said the Prestige Automobile employee.

Though he failed to hit his target of beating his best time of 1:12:00 two weeks ago in Guam, he was still satisfied with his performance as he prepares to run in the Honolulu Marathon in Hawaii in December.

“I was hoping to beat my 1:12 time or even post 1:15 but I still had a great run. I’m now preparing to run my third full marathon in Hawaii next month,” said the Simon Sanchez High School graduate, who was joined by 8 other runners from Guam.

Peter Prestley placed second overall, touching the tape in 1:36:18.06, while Peter Blas placed third in 1:39:17.34

Meanwhile, Saipan’s Mamiko Berger duplicated Matienzo’s first place finish, as she topped the women’s division with a time of 1:36:29.59. Berger also pocketed the $1,000 top prize after beating Peri Bowman (1:38:47.50) and Yumika Sugahara (1:40:07.72), who came in at second and third, respectively.

In other results, Steven Johnson topped the 20-29 age group with a time of 1:53:42.41 while Roby Garrido came in at second with his 1:58:38.56.

Other men’ age group finishers were Oliver Santiago (1:55:36.22) and Rommel Buenaflor (2:06:42.50) in the 30-39 and Maximino Simian (1:5831.88), Butch Sublemente (2:08:15.94), Tamio Nishikido (2:15:16.50), Rolando Vicencio (2:20:18.72) and Ben Babauta (2:31:30.38) in the 40-49.

June Evangelista (1:55:35.44), Eugene Foels (2:0855.06) and Manny Sitchon (2:23:27.44) took the Top 3 in the 50-59 age division, while barefoot runner Chang Whan Jang (1:50:30.09) and Paul Khang (2:11:29.00) finished 1-2 in the 60-69 category.

Agnes Khang (15-19, 2:18:35.15); Pipit Ball (20-29, 2:0342.25); Jennifer Cui (1:57:58.44), Tara Taitano (2:02:46.75), Tiffany Lin (2:11:51.47), Yumiko Mizuno (2:12:58.69) and Karina Cerezo (2:19:32.75) of the 30-39 division; 40-49’s Kimiko McKagan (1:59:07.53) of the 40-49; and 50-59’s Lorie Hutchison were the female age group finishers. (Jon Perez)