Previous Story
CNMI runners nearly make podium
Members of the CNMI’s 4x100m relay team pose for a photo before their race in the 2017 Oceania Area Championships last weekend at the ANZ Stadium in Suva, Fiji. (Contributed Photo)
Four CNMI runners were just a notch away from stepping into the podium of the 2017 Oceania Area Championships.
Jamie Pangelinan, Leani Acosta, Riella Ann Billy Ichiuo, and Zarinae Sapong suited up for the Commonwealth’s 4x400m relay team and finished fourth in last Saturday’s race at the ANZ Stadium in Suva, Fiji. The foursome clocked in at 55.63 seconds, placing behind Australia (47.67 seconds), New Zealand (48.04 seconds) and Fiji (48.67 seconds) and ahead of Nauru (56.60 seconds). Grace Brennan, Jessica Payne, Sophie McGovern, and Georfie Boal ran for the Aussies’ under 20 team in the relay event, while New Zealand was represented by Tegan Duffy, Lauren Henry, Sumer Rutherford, and Georgia Hulls. Fiji’s relay squad, on the other hand, was composed of Fane Sauvakacolo, Heleina Young, Alesi Bulisala, and Mereoni Loki, while Nauru had Melanie Ribauw, De Rosa Herman, Gale Storm Daoe, and Istrina Tsitsi.
Meanwhile, Pangelinan earlier raced in the women’s under 18 100m qualifying run last Friday and gained a personal best time. She clocked in at 14.59 seconds on heat No. 2 to surpass her previous PB of 14.82 seconds. Sapong and Ichiuo did the same event, but were entered in the older age group (under 20). Sapong submitted 13.64 seconds, missing her PB (13.35 seconds), while Ichiuo tallied 15.51 seconds, way behind her PB of 13.89 seconds. New Zealand’s Hulls recorded the fastest qualifying time in the 20-and-under race with her 12.19 seconds, while Australia’s Jessie Andrew had 12.71 seconds to lead U18 qualifiers.
Ichiuo had her second individual event last Saturday—the javelin throw—and had a 21.94m heave to finish at No. 6. Australia’s Jessica Aldridge (44.96m) took the gold medal, while Fiji’s Katarina Lilicama (43.03m) and Tahiti’s Vaimiti Marii (40.26m) won the silver and bronze.
In other results, Traven Quitugua completed his 100m and 200m races in the men’s U18. He submitted 12.35 seconds in the 100m sprint to rank No. 14 in the series of qualifiers, which was topped by Samoa’s Tapasu Jonathan Paea (11.18 seconds). In the 200m run, the CNMI runner placed at No. 11 with his 24.58 seconds, while Australia’s Preston Degarnham had the fastest qualifying time at 22.33 seconds.
