Zarinae breaks PB in Scotland

Zarinae Sapong sprinted to her personal best time of 8.33 seconds in the 60m dash event of the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland last Saturday.

The championships was held from Friday, March 1, to Sunday, March 3, with Sapong’s event scheduled for Saturday, March 2.

In her heat, Sapong sprinted against the world’s fastest sprinters and came in .21 milliseconds faster than her previous personal best of 8.54 seconds. That time was set during the World Athletics Indoor Championship 2018 in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred sprinted into first place in the finals of the 60m event at 6.98 seconds. Second went to Poland’s Ewa Swoboda at 7 seconds flat, and third place was Italy’s Zaynab Dosso.

The 26-year-old Sapong said of breaking her PB, “Achieving a personal best is always exciting, even if the time wasn’t exactly what I was aiming for. It’s a reminder of the progress I’ve made and the work still ahead.”

Reflecting on the competition, she said, “I recognize the need to hone my starts and come off the blocks better.” On the experience, she said, “This experience has been humbling, and I’m eager to continue pushing myself to improve.”

As for future competitions, she said she’s gearing up for the outdoor season of longer events. She’s hopeful for the opportunity to represent the CNMI in the Micronesian Games in the Marshall Islands from June 15 to 24.

The Northern Marianas Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence program coordinator thanked Northern Marianas Athletics development manager and coach Elias Rangamar and the entire NMA family for their unwavering support and guidance.

“And to my dear family, friends, and my NMCADSV team, your words of encouragement have been a constant source of strength. Thank you for always believing in me!” said Sapong.

The 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships is the 19th edition of the international indoor track and field competition, organized by the World Athletics.