NMA completes All Schools qualifiers

Runners in the U14 age group race in the 800m qualifying run for the 2016 PSS/McDonald’s All Schools Athletics Championships yesterday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Northern Marianas Athletics concluded the qualifying events for the 2016 PSS/McDonald’s All Schools Track and Field Championships yesterday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field.

The final day of the series of qualifiers had seven events with students from Marianas High School, Saipan Southern High School, Kagman High School, Agape Christian School, Marianas Baptist Academy, Saipan International School, and Hopwood competing in the 400m, 800m, 1,500, and 3,000m races and shotput, discus, and javelin throws.

Meet director Elias Rangamar said the Top 10 finishers in the four middle distance races and field events will qualify for the All Schools competition, which will run from May 4 to 7. Tinian, which had its own qualifier, are given two slots.

In the sprint events (60m, 100m, and 200m), only the Top 6 will make it to next week’s tournament. Qualifiers in the sprints races were held last week.

William S. Reyes Elementary School dominated the boys U7, U9, and U11 qualifiers in the 60m last April 18 and the girls U9 and U11, while Saipan Community School’s Youna Li foiled the Kingfishers’ sweep in the sprint after topping the girls U7 qualifier.

WSR got the first place sweep in the girls and boys U7, U9, and U11’s 100m run and then had five out of the six first place finisher in the 200m. Whispering Palms River Kramer averted another WSR sweep when she stopped the girls U11 200m qualifier.

In the April 19 qualifier, Koblerville Elementary School earned four first place finishes each in the 60m 100m, and 200m runs, while Brilliant Star and Kagman Elementary School had one apiece in the same events.

In the April 20 qualifier, which was for middle schools, Dandan recorded three top finishes in the 60m run, while San Antonio and Hopwood registered one each.

Dandan tallied two more first place finishes in the 200m, while MHS duplicated that feat in the girls and boys U18, and Tanapag posted one. The Dolphins also ruled the boys and girls U18 100m run qualifier, while Hopwood swept the boys and girls U14 age groups.

Meanwhile, results in this week’s qualifiers are unavailable at press time and will be released early next week. The final week of the qualifying events started last Monday with Koblerville, Brilliant Star, SIS, San Vicente, Garapan, and Mt. Carmel joining the 400m, 800m, and 1,500m run. The same three races were scheduled last Tuesday for students from SCS, GTC, WSR, Agape, Whispering Palms, and Oleai.

The three middle distances races, plus the 3,000m run and discus and shotput throws were slated last Wednesday with students from Chacha, SCS, MBA, Whispering Palms, Dandan, SIS, Agape, San Antonio, Hopwood, MCS, and Tanapag participating in the qualifiers.