Tania resets 10,000m Micro Games record

MAJURO, Marshall Islands—Just as track and field competitions started with a bang, it ended with an explosion in the 2024 Micronesian Games last Saturday with the 10,000m Micronesian Games record reset by NMI’s multi-awarded track star Tania Tan at the Majuro Track and Field Stadium.

Tan ran against just one other runner, Keira Paz from Guam, and clocked in at 41:19:00 to secure the gold and the Micro Games record. The old standing record time of 41:26.48 was set by Guam’s Marie Benito in the 1990 Micro Games.

The Pacific Games 5,000m record-holder and now the Micro Games 10,000m record-holder said of her race, “It felt cooler this morning because our race started before the sunrise. It was actually pretty dark at the start so they had to turn on the lights.” As she had just ran the night before in the 1,500m which she also won gold in, she said, “I was feeling fine, luckily the race last night was short enough that it didn’t impact me too much after.”

As for what she thought about breaking the record, “I honestly don’t know what the old record was so I didn’t expect to break a record. I just went into the race wanting to have fun since it was my last race in Majuro.” She added, “I feel honored to have broken it. People keep saying ‘wow Tania again!’ But honestly, it’s not just for me; it’s for everyone back home in the CNMI! I’m honored to put our flag in the record books.”

Last Saturday along with Tan’s gold, one more silver was won, with two more bronze medals. In the afternoon and evening session events, Cody Shimizu ran and jumped through the 400m hurdles to secure the silver medal. He clocked in at 1:03.88, while gold medalist Guam’s Jeofry Limtiaco won with 59.18 seconds, and bronze was Pohnpei’s Renaldo Abraham at 1:03.97.

Shimizu, who injured his hamstring after his first day of events, didn’t get to compete on his second day. However, he came back stronger last Saturday and pushed himself to get a medal.

The recent Marianas High School graduate said, “I was saving my energy for this one and I’m happy I placed.” Even with his injury, he pushed himself until the end and said, “I just saw everybody winning medals and I just really wanted one—I just had to go and it feels good—I’m happy.”

In the discus throw, Lyle Andrew won bronze with a distance of 35.43m. Gold was Nauru’s Bouncer Quadina at 43.93m, and silver was also Nauru’s Jonathan Detageouwa at 42.11m.

The last medal for athletics was won by Maria Quitugua in the triple jumps with a distance of 7.73m. Gold was Guam’s Regine Tugade at 10.89m, and silver was Guam’s Taylor-Ann Santos at 10.63m.

Last Friday, NMI track and field stars bagged one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals.

Tan got her second gold medal in as many days in the 1,500m with a time of 5:14.45. Silver went to Guam’s Keira Paz at 5:32.71, and third was Palau’s Ava Planz at 5:39.40.

For the silver medal, Simon Tang won it in the 110m hurdles with a time of 18.03 seconds. Gold was Guam’s Jovan Pineda at 16.30 seconds, while bronze was NMI’s Justin Camacho at 19.73 seconds.

The other bronze medal was won by Maria Quitugua in the 100m hurdles with a time of 23.32 seconds. Gold was Palau’s Mary Devivo at 15.67 seconds, and silver was Guam’s Aleah-Rae Castro at 16.30 seconds.

On the first day of track and field competitions last Thursday, the track stars racked up three gold medals, two bronze, and a new national record, as well as multiple personal bests.

The first gold medal for the athletics team was won by Lyle Andrew in the hammer throw at 33.57m—which also broke the NMI national record. Then Tania Tan won gold in the 5,000m and Maria Quitugua secured gold in the javelin throw. The bronze medals came by way of Lia Rangamar and Daniel Joab, both in the hammer throw.

Over the course of three days, the NMI National Athletics team hauled in five gold medals, two silver medals, and six bronze medals, for a total of 13 medals.