Sapong, Tan earn gold medals

From left, the CNMI’s Anika Snyder, Guam’s Minami Cramer, and the CNMI’s Tania Tan run together in the first few meters of the 3,000m race during the opening of the Oceania Micronesian Regional Championships 2018 yesterday at the Oleai Sports Complex. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Oceania Micronesian Regional Championships 2018 kicked off yesterday at the Oleai Sports Complex with host CNMI bagging four gold medals after 14 events.

Zarinae Sapong proved that she is the region’s sprint queen after ruling the women’s open 100m run. She timed in at 13.25 seconds to beat Guam’s Richelle Tugade (13.49), and Chuuk’s Vicksy Dereas (13.63) and Emyrose Erwin (13.93).

The CNMI’s three other gold medals came from Tania Tan, Cassandra Camacho, and Tinian’s Manny Quitugua. Unofficial medal tally was based on Saipan Tribune’s 6pm cutoff time yesterday.

Tan prevailed in the girls U18’s 3,000m run after clocking in at 12:20.99. She made it to the finish line about a minute ahead of fellow CNMI bet and Saipan International School student Anika Snyder, who submitted 13:18.77. Guam’s Minami Cramer came in at third after checking in at 13:29.74.

In the boys U18 hammer throw, Quitugua recorded 24.07 meters to lead Tinian’s 1-2-3 finish in the competition, as John Dona and Tyrell Ngwaki rounded out the podium after registering 19.97m and 14.86m, respectively. Camacho also won in the hammer throw after logging 17.15 in the girls U18.

In other results, Guam took the pair of gold medals in the women’s and girls U18 400m hurdles. Richelle Tugade timed in at 1:10.29 to prevail against compatriot Danica Cacayan (1:10.69) and Maurine Dela Paz (1:14.06) in the women’s open division, while Kiana Rivera got the gold in the U18 age group with her 1:11.11.

In the men’s open 400m hurdles, the CNMI’s Beo Ngirchongor finished third (1:05.93) behind gold medal winner Jeofry Limtiaco (1:00.44) and runner-up Kyle Delos Santos (1:02.03) of Guam.

Guam also had a 1-2 finish in the women’s open hammer throw after Genie Gerardo submitted 31.36m and Amanda Santos posted 21.89m. The CNMI’s Annalei Santos completed the Top 3 with her 18.68m heave.

In the high jump, the winners were boys U18’s Iverson August (1.65m) and men’s open’s Ryon Gaines (1.68) of Palau and women’s open’s Dela Paz (1.38m) of Guam. The CNMI’s Douglas Schmidt took the silver in the men’s open after recording 1.56m, while John Christian Guinto (1.56m), also of the CNMI, brought home the silver in the U18 division.

In the U18 100 run, the CNMI’s Jamie Pangelinan and Traven Quitugua made it to the podium. Quitugua was the runner-up in the sprint after clocking in at 11.65 seconds, while Chuuk’s Miaky Midaen (11.46) and Guam’s Joseph Aguon (11.68) placed first and third, respectively. Pangelinan was ranked third with her 13.81 seconds, finishing behind Nauru’s Melanie Ribauw (13.56 seconds) and Guam’s Rivera (13.70).

In the men’s 3,000m race, Tyler Santos gave the CNMI a bronze medal after timing in at 11:10.72. Guam’s Derek Mandell won the gold with his under 10-minute time (9:45.08), while compatriot Ben Middlebrooks (10:09.10) took the silver.

In other events, Schmidt qualified to the finals of the 400m run after placing second on Heat 1. He posted 53.60 seconds in the qualifier and was ranked fifth overall among the 17 runners who did the race. Chuuk’s Francis Rikat topped Heat 1 with his 53.02 seconds, while other first place finishers in their respective groups were Guam’s David Kivdone (52.78 seconds) and Palau’s Gwynn Uehera (53.23 seconds)