NMA supports Micro Games postponement

Northern Marianas Athletics president Ramon Tebuteb, right, poses with CNMI Hall of Famer and former NMA president Dr. Kurt Barnes during a break in a track and field meet last June at the Oleai Sports Complex.
(MARK RABAGO)

Northern Marianas Athletics has no problems with the postponement of the 2022 Micronesian Games in the Marshall Islands to 2023.

NMA president Ramon Tebuteb said since the Pacific Mini Games in the CNMI was postponed from 2021 to 2022, it’s more than justified that the Marshall Islands follow suit and also put off the Micro Games for a year.

“As you are aware, an alignment of other significant sports events and other more influencing and very important issues were taken into account. Health and safety of all participants were primary. NMA supports these,” he said in an email to Saipan Tribune.

Last November, the Marshall Islands, based on recommendations from the National Olympic Committee and the Games Organizing Committee, approved postponing the Micro Games to 2023. It was originally set from July 25 to Aug. 5, 2022. No dates have been set for the 2023 quadrennial event.

Marianas Cup
Tebuteb, meanwhile, held off commenting on NMSA president Jerry Tan’s call for the establishment of an annual CNMI-Guam competition for all sports patterned after the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s Marianas Cup.

“Until such time that NMSA comes out officially will NMA have thoughts on the ‘suggesting.’ NMA, however, continues to assert our existing relationship with our counterparts in Guam and other athletics federation regions in effectuating a so-called ‘Marianas Cup.’ In short, we have been and continue to be doing athletics activities with our Guam counterparts,” the former congressman said.

Mini Games
The NMA president also provided an update on their athletes’ training for the Pacific Mini Games the CNMI will be hosting for the first time ever this year.

“Our coaches and athletes continue to be creative and train around our community health situations. Unlike other sports disciplines, athletics’ selection process revolves around individual performances as it moves toward the eventual competition timelines,” he said.

Tebuteb, however, is worried that the impending closure of the Oleai track and field facility may affect their training schedule of their national athletics pool.

“NMA is concerned with the potential closure of the only proper athletics training facility we have.”

The athletics competition of the Mini Games will have the third most number of participants with 216.