High school seniors top Run Saipan 5K

High school seniors Jireh Wang and Andrei Kaithlyn Chavez started off their sports season early and with a bang by topping their respective divisions of the Run Saipan 5K Fun Run held concurrently with the 3rd Annual Half Marathon last Saturday.

The route was from the former Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Club Elan parking lot and headed north, with the turnaround at the Pacific Trading Co.

Wang rushed into first place almost under 18 minutes at 18:03. Second was Victor Nash Santos at 19:02, and third was Takeru Jim at 19:06.

In the women’s division, Chavez was first at 22:02, while second was Addalee Taflinger more than a minute later at 23:24. Third went to Lydia Tan who clocked in at 26:15.

Wang, a student at Agape Christian School said of his first-place win, “it felt really good. I’m glad my training during the summer was put into effect.” The course was the same as the 2024 Triple J 5K Bubble Color Run, which he joined and said that he was familiar with it.

He said the race was a good training opportunity for the all-schools cross-country season coming up.

For Chavez from Saipan International School, she said, “The 5K race was actually good, the weather was perfect and it was good practice for the upcoming cross-country season. I was leading the whole time and I was just maintaining my pace. Half marathon is too long for me so I’m good with 10K and 5K only.”

Run Saipan president Edward Dela Cruz Jr. thanked their sponsors Cha Cafe, Atkins Kroll Saipan, IT&E, Aqua Resort Club, The Water Company, the Office of House Speaker Edmund Villagomez, the Office of Vice Speaker Joel Camacho, the Office of Rep. Thomas John Manglona, and the Office of Rep. Malcom Omar.

He also thanked their volunteers, race staff, partners: Northern Marianas Athletics, the Department of Public Safety, Marianas Visitors Authority, HD Weightlifting Academy, Saipan Southern High School Interact Club, American Red Cross-NMI Chapter, and Interact Club. And, he thanked Saipan Tribune and Marianas Variety for the coverage.

Age group divisions of the 5K and Half Marathon will be posted in the next issues of Saipan Tribune.