Tania to rep NMI in Cross Country Championships

The indefatigable Tania Tan is gearing up for the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, on March 30.

The CNMI made its debut in World Athletics Cross Country Championships last year, with Tan and Sildrey Veloria as its representatives.

The 22-year-old is once again competing in the 10K senior women’s division, where she finished 82nd last year with a time of 44:41 and a mile pace of 7:12.

The championships is comprised of the 10K senior men/women division, the 8K junior men division, the 6K junior women division, and the 4x2K mixed relay division.

Tan is currently a member of the cross country team as a graduate transfer to the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.

The two-time gold medalist at the 2023 Pacific Games is “super grateful” for her selection to compete at the championships. “It’s not every day you get to compete at a world championship, representing your nation, amongst the best of the best so it’s truly an honor,” she said.

Her preparation consists of incorporating more hills into her runs. “Running hillier routes and doing hill sprints throughout the week. I’m hoping that will help me prepare for the race,” said Tan.

As to how she thinks she’ll do in a much colder climate, she said, “I think living and training in Hawaii, in the warmth where it’s also humid, will benefit me when I race in the cold weather in Serbia. People usually run faster times in cooler temperatures so I’m hoping that will also be the same for me!”

She said her expectation is just to do her best and represent the CNMI as proudly as she can.

“The World Championships in any sport is so tough. My fellow swimmers who competed recently in Doha and Fukuoka would know—you have to compete against not only Olympians but Olympic gold medalists and World Champions. Because the level of competition is so high, all I can do is go out there and do my best to represent our islands proudly on the world stage,” she said.

For his part, Northern Marianas Athletics coach Elias Rangamar said Tan and Zarinae Sapong, who shattered her PB in the recent 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, “Stand as the prominent figures representing NMA Athletics.” He added, “Since going collegiate [Tan] has steadily been the face of athletics in the CNMI with stellar performances, most specifically at the Pacific Games this past year.”