Medalists awarded cash incentives

The 2023 Pacific Games held in Honiara, Solomon Islands is now etched in the history books, and the CNMI thanked its team for their performance with a dinner at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan last Tuesday night.

It was a dinner for all plus cash incentives given to medalists based on the medals they won.

In attendance were Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, interim Education commissioner Donna Flores, Northern Marianas Sport Association board president Jerry Tan and board members, representatives of the team’s sponsors from Joeten Daidai Foundation, Triple J, Crowne Plaza Resort, IT&E, IP&E, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, Mobil, Tan Holdings, and McDonald’s of Guam & Saipan, each of the 10 sports federation’s officials, and family and guests of the athletes.

Five gold medals were won by four athletes—two of which was won by athletics’ Tania Tan in the 5,000m and 10,000m race, one by bodybuilder Christina Tudela for the Model Physique category, the first gold of the Games from NMI weightlifter Ray Santos in the snatch lift portion, and one for swimmer Isaiah Aleksenko for his 200m butterfly swim. Tan received $4,000 for her two gold medals, while Tudela, Santos, and Aleksenko were each given $2,000.

Santos also received $1,000 for his silver medal and $500 for his bronze medal.

Aleksenko won a bronze medal for an individual swim and also won two bronze meals in a team relay swim for a total of $750. The other bronze medalists for the relay swim team, which included Taiyo Akimaru, Kian Pajarillaga, Juhn Tenorio, and Kouki Watanabe, received $125 each.

Volleyball bronze medalists Logan Mister and Andrew Johnson split the $500 incentive for $250 each; and bodybuilding’s Davy Laxa and weightlifting’s Leowell Cristobal received $500 each.

The rest of the team’s officials and coaches gift items and gift certificates worth $100.

The incentives were presented to the athletes by NMSA’s Tan, vice president Ray Tebuteb, secretary general Valerie Hofschneider, treasurer John Hirsh, board member John Davis, board member, and Team NMI chef de mission Nick Gross.

Along with them were the sponsors’ representatives were Triple J’s Mike Sablan, Joeten Dai Dai Foundation’s Ray Alvarez, Crowne Plaza’s Clayton Darlington, IT&E’s Laarni Zapanta, and McDonald’s Jewel Cubangbang.

The four gold medalists were put on the spot and made speeches after the presentation of their incentives.

High school senior Aleksenko went up first and said, “Congratulations to everybody who participated.”

Santos thanked each of the sponsors, family, and friends, “who came out to support us.”

Tudela, for her part, said, “Thank you all, especially our sponsors, and our family, friends, and supporters for this amazing opportunity—and everybody else who came along for this wild right.” She then asked the crowd, “Wasn’t that such a trip?” to which everyone responded, “Yeah!” She then said, “Well, we made it and made it back in one piece, so, congrats everybody and thank you all.”

Tania Tan wrapped up the impromptu medalists’ speeches by saying, “These five gold medals are not only for us personally or our own federations, but for all us and everyone in the NMI, so thank you.”

Team NMI competed in 10 sports over the 19 days of competition and placed 13th overall in the medal tally with 13 medals.

Soccer had the most athletes and included Jerald Aquino, Anthony Bergancia, Dev Bachani, Casey Chambers, Mark Chavez, Mark Costales, Leland Deleon Guerrero, Ruben Guerrero, Akira Kadokura, Wataru Kadokura, Zhi Xiang Lin, Brian Lubao, Ariel Narvaez, Jonne Navarro, Nolan Ngewakl, Ronnel Ocanada, Daniell Pablo, Tyler Omelau, Cody Shimizu, Markus Toves, Merrick Toves, and Jireh Yobech, along with head coach Michiteru Mita, assistant coach Konomi Suzuki, team manager Jershwin Angeles, assistant team manager Attao-Toves, kit manager Davy Laxa, and physical therapist Hazel Mabasa.

Va’a had the second most and consisted of Oliver Igisaiar, Tyler Andrew, Yu Chai, Terry Ruben, Willie Cabrera, Mitchell Kukkun, Vinalynn Oronigo, Jenisha Dubrall, Ashley Pangelinan, Dayna Macaranas, Gracie Mendiola, Eva Weaver, Sakurako Halstead, Momoka Halstead, along with coach and athlete Jason Tarkong, assistant coach and athlete Richard Sikkel and team managers Justin Andrew and Joseph Weaver.

Swimming had 14 athletes including Andrew Nunez, Frances Raho, Isaiah Aleksenko, Juhn Tenorio, Julia Jinang, Kean Pajarillaga, Kevin Guerrero Jr., Kouki Watanabe, Maria Batallones, Michael Miller, Moshe Sikkel, Nagi Tenorio, Taiyo Akimaru, Shoko Litulumar, along with coaches Richard Sikkel and Hiroyuki Kimura and team manager Yuko Kimura.

Golf consisted of Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho, Joseph Sasamoto, Ben Jones Jr., Franco Santos, Zhimin Jin, and team manager Marco Peter.

Athletics was made up of Tania Tan, Lyle Andrew, Maria Quitugua, Theodore Rodgers, Alexander Camacho, Casey Cruz, and Pony Tang along with team official Greg Iginoef.

Weightlifting included Angel San Nicolas, Joey Colisao, Antonette Labausa, Riella Ann Ichiuo, Leowell Cristobal, and Raymond Santos along with team manager Greg Borja.

Tennis was made up of Moris Villanueva, June Yu, Nason Wessel, and player/coach Colin Ramsey.

Beach volleyball included Andrew Johnson and Logan Mister, with coach Tyce Mister and manager Chris Nelson.

Bodybuilding was the duo of Davy Laxa and Christina Tudela; and triathlon’s representative was Leo Wania.