Team Marianas exceeds expectations

Team Marianas conquered the 2024 Micronesian Games after finishing with a 70-23-29 gold-silver-bronze medal tally yesterday.

This is the first time since 2002 that Team Marianas ranked No.1 in the final medal standings. In 2002, the NMI had 24-26-17 gold-silver-medal tally to rule the 2002 Micronesian Games held in Pohnpei. This year, the 120 total medals that NMI athletes and officials won are the islands’ highest, breaking the 92 (44-23-25) Team Marianas previously recorded in the 2010 Micronesian Games held in Palau.

“We did not expect our team to win these many medals. However, this goes to show how much hard work everyone on Team Marianas put in, in the past several months to be able to perform at their best and represent our islands well in the 2024 Micronesian. We are very proud of our Team Marianas,” NMI chef de mission Valerie Hofschneider said.

In the unofficial final medal standings, Team Marianas’ 70 medal led the 68 of Nauru, which had a neck-and-neck battle with the NMI in the top rankings after making a killing in weightlifting, winning 45 gold medals

Team Marianas, on the other hand, dominated the swimming competition (pool and open water swims, getting 49 golds, 15 silvers, and 14 bronzes). The NMI National Tennis Team earned the second most gold medals for Team Marianas with its seven medals and the Jeff Race-coached squad also got two bronzes. Athletics contributed five golds, two silvers, and six bronzes, while weightlifting chipped in three golds, five silvers, and four bronzes. Basketball added one silver (women’s division), while women’s fast-pitch won a bronze, and beach volleyball delivered a pair of bronze medals.

Icing on the cake

Wrestlers James Attao-Greene Jr. and Ryan Babauta sealed Team Marianas’ reign in the 2024 Micro Games after winning the NMI delegation’s last two gold medals. The two wrestlers topped their respective beach wrestling competitions and contributed a total of six gold medals, as they also prevailed in the freestyle and Greco-Roman events over the weekend.

Attao-Greene Jr., Babauta, and coaches Jason Tarkong and Rick Bauer joined the NMI Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams and the NMI Women’s Fast-Pitch Softball Team in the closing ceremony last night in Majuro. Babauta and women’s basketball player and athletics representative Lia Rangamar were named flag bearers at the closing ceremony.

Big thank you

Meanwhile, Team Marianas and the Northern Marianas Sports Association Board thanked all the individuals and organizations that supported the NMI athletes and officials’ participation in the Micro Games, and the entire NMI community for rallying behind Team Marianas since Day 1 of the competitions in the Marshall Islands.

Team Marianas is sponsored by: Joeten Daidai Foundation, Mariana Express Lines Pte. Ltd, Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation, Skechers, Triple J Enterprise, E-Land Group, D&Q, TakeCare Insurance, IT&E, Bank of Guam, Black Construction Corp., Dial-Rent-To-Own, RNV Construction, GPPC/Apex Builders, Matson, Chinese Association of Saipan, Y.K. Corp., LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort, Jose & Ruri Ayuyu Foundation/McDonald’s, P&A Corp., Artman Corp., Zoom Café, and I Love Saipan. (PR)