Oceania Cup, masters champs underway

Runners of the men’s 60m race out of the starting line yesterday afternoon in the first day of the Oceania Athletics Masters Championships at the Oleai Sports Complex.(LEIGH GASES)

For the first time, Micronesia is hosting the Oceania Athletics Masters Championships and also has the largest number of participants ever. 

The events went underway starting yesterday at the Oleai Sports Complex track and field. 
The Oceania Athletics Masters Championships and the concurrent Oceania Cup both have a total of 220 athletes participating in the events that will last until June 25. 

In the men’s 100m invitational finals, Melanesia’s Pais Willis dashed in first with a time of 10.87; second went to Polynesia’s Johnny Key at 11.09; and third went to Melanesia’s Inoke Waisake at 11.11 seconds. 

Melanesia also claimed the top spot of the women’s 100m invitational finals with a 12.63 time by Adrine Monagi. Second place also went to Melanesia’s Chloe David at 13.27 and third place went to Polynesia’s Filomenaleonisa Iakopo with a time of 13.61. 

From left, Northern Marianas Sports Association president Jerry Tan, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, Northern Marianas Athletics general secretary Robin Sapong, and NMA president Ramon Tebuteb pose for a photo after they made their welcoming remarks during the Oceania Cup and Oceania Masters Championships yesterday afternoon at the Oleai Sports Complex.(LEIGH GASES)

In the women’s masters 60m finals for the 40-44 age group, Australia’s Cassie Newbauer came in first with a time of 9.67; second went to the CNMI’s Natalie Hill-Beyer at 9.78; and third went to Sheila Isla with a time of 11.82 seconds. 

The women’s 60m finals 50-54 was swept by NMI runners. First place went to Chiharu Sato at 10.32; second went to Jessica Ortizo with a time of 11.26; and third went to Lainnie Price at 11.85. 

In the men’s discus and javelin master’s championships, the CNMI’s Angel San Nicolas swept first place in his age group as the lone competitor.

The other events that took place were the men’s and women’s master’s championship hammer, shot put, and weight throw; the throws pentathlon master’s championships; the men’s 5,000m race walk; and the men’s and women’s master’s 5,000m championships. 

After a full swing of events yesterday, remarks were made by Northern Marianas Athletics president Ramon Tebuteb, NMA general secretary Robin Sapong, and Gov. Arnold I. Palacios. 

Tebuteb recognized all the athletes, officials, and volunteers from the 23 countries represented, which was more than the 2022 Pacific Mini Games, for traveling all the way here. He also thanked the Northern Marianas Sports Association and its president Jerry Tan for the management and care of the Oleai Sports Complex. 

He said, “It is always challenging and difficult to just simply travel and the words ‘ocean is what separates us,’ I think really it’s the other way around. It’s the ocean that connects us.”

For Sapong, he thanked everyone for the opportunity to showcase the talent around the Pacific. Palacios also welcomed everyone to the CNMI and hoped that they would enjoy their stay here. 

As for Oceania Athletics Association executive director Yvonne Mullin, she said in an interview with the media after the opening remarks, that the first day of events turned out well. 

“Athletes, certainly the masters, are competing well against everybody and are enjoying it. I think it’s opened up a whole new world for people who are over 30 years of age so that they can come out and compete, have fun, and stay fit. We think masters sport is about keeping people in sport for life.” 

She acknowledged that coming out to hold the events in the CNMI is a great opportunity for the sport here to grow and for every age group to be involved. She also said that it’s the best facility in Micronesia at the moment and the only real facility in the Pacific, so “NMI has the opportunity to keep it going and keep sport strong here,” she said.