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NMA sponsors runners; Christmas relay OK’d
High school runners compete in the finale of the 2020-2021 Public School System/Northern Marianas Athletics All Schools Cross Country Series last Saturday at the CPA Airport Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
The running season in the CNMI is not done yet, as Northern Marianas Association will sponsor high and middle school students in a virtual race and will go ahead with the Christmas Island Relay.
NMA will pay for the registration fees of 12 student-runners that will compete in the Make-A-Wish Foundation (Guam and CNMI) Jingle Rock Virtual Run. NMA secretary general Robin Sapong said the slots for the virtual event will be for the Top 2 finishers each in the boys and girls division of the middle school finale race in last weekend’s 2020-2021 Public School System/Northern Marianas Athletics All Schools Cross Country Series. In the high school division, NMA is sponsoring the Top 4 placers each in the boys and girls divisions.
Mt. Carmel School’s Kaithlynn Chavez and Agape Christian School’s Barbara Wang were 1-2 inn the girls middle school race, while the latter’s teammates Peter Peng and Joseph Li notched the Top 2 finish in the boys division.
In the boys high school, the Top 4 slots were occupied by Marianas High School’s Josh Joson, Saipan International School’s Rex Pixley and Samuel Culp, and Agape’s Ray Qi. SIS’ Tiana Cabrera led the Top 4 finishers in the girls category and was joined by Agape’s Emma Pang, Grace Shi, and Eunice Xu.
The top high and middle school runners have to option to run one of the four courses in the Make-A-Wish fundraising event: 5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon. They must complete the chosen distance in one run between Dec. 1 and 31.
Free entry
Meanwhile, NMA will waive the entry fees for the Christmas Island Relay that will be held on Dec. 26.
The traditional season-ending event of NMA got the go-ahead from the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and safety protocols against the pandemic will be implemented in the competition. The Christmas Island Relay will start at the Pacific Islands Club and end at the Last Command Post. Participants can enter either in the solo or team categories. More details about the event will be announced later.
Last year, Agape Team A was the overall No.1 finisher and open division winner of the 13.7-mile race after clocking in at 1:25:27. Agape Team C, on the other hand, topped the youth division after recording 1:34:39.
