NMI x-country runners stand out at biggest Asia Pacific Invitational

The rhythmic pounding of nearly a thousand feet hitting the ground echoed like a stampede of horses racing across the plains, as the largest Asia Pacific Invitational in history brought together 400 athletes from 37 schools last Monday at Resol no Mori, Japan.

Against the backdrop of fierce competition, Team NMI rose to the challenge, delivering personal bests and strong team finishes in an event that will be remembered for its intensity and spirit.

The boys’ team stood tall, earning an impressive seventh place overall with a score of 202 points. Jireh Wang of Agape Chrisitan School led the charge, racing to 25th place with a time of 18:57.51, setting a personal record. Victor Nash Santos of Saipan International School wasn’t far behind, crossing the line in 27th place with a time of 19:02.02. Teammates Michael Miller and Takeru Jin of Marianas High School also turned in strong performances, placing 37th and 51st, respectively, followed by Ziheng Cai of ACS in 65th place. ACS’ James Fan came in at 66th place with a time of 19:49.4, while Saipan Southern High School’s Simon Tang finished in 85th place after crossing the finish line in 20:12.5.

Despite their excellent finishes, the NMI athletes were challenged by the sheer size of the race packs—something they had not previously experienced. Navigating through such a large and competitive field, with the push and shove of 200 athletes jockeying for position, made it difficult for them to find their place early in the race.

The girls’ team delivered a strong effort as well, finishing 12th overall with 279 points. SIS Geckos Kaithlyn Chavez and Addalee Taflinger led the way for the girls, with Chavez securing 18th place in a time of 22:33.71 and Taflinger followed closely behind in 20th place, setting a PR with her time of 22:37.02. Zhaoyu Shen of ACS (24:33.83 for 78th place) and Aubrey White of SIS (25:19.94 for 93rd place) contributed strong finishes, helping solidify the team’s standing. Rest of the NMA girls runners were ACS’ Ruishi Zhu: (25.39.3 for 100th place) and Jiamei Hong (25:51.06 for 103rd place and SIS’ Julie Chavez (26.24.4 for 116th place).

Just like the boys, the race was a learning experience for the NMI girls with the crush of larger, aggressive packs, making it difficult to find their rhythm and positioning in such a competitive field. Despite this challenge, the athletes showcased resilience and determination, pushing through the crowded course to achieve great results.

NMI’s strong presence extended to the open category, where individual athletes and coaches also delivered remarkable performances. Landon Taflinger placed third overall with a personal best time of 19:41.11, closely followed by Ruizhe Zhu in fourth place with a time of 20:04.12. Lang Yang secured sixth place, finishing at 20:23.93. NMI Head coach Ronald Snyder showed his own competitive spirit, finishing the race with a time of 26:56.96.

The rest of the open participants were Chad Taflinger (22.48.3), Catherine Pan (25:46.1), Joanna Pang (27.03.4), coach Angela Taflinger (27.11.6), and Jian Chung (27.16.5)

With 37 schools and 400 athletes (220 boys and 180 girls) competing, this year’s Asia Pacific Invitational was the largest in its history. The sheer magnitude of the event made the races more competitive than ever, and Team NMI’s strong showing amidst this heightened intensity speaks to their growth and determination.

Team NMI continues to represent the Northern Mariana Islands with pride and heart, building on their successes as they look forward to the Team Relay competition on Day 2. (PR)