Young runners show stuff in SIS run

Dirk Sharer and Suzanne Kindel may have posted the fastest adult times in the 4th Annual Saipan International School 5K Fun Run last Saturday, but the glory was evenly shared with several young guns who also proved to have what it took to conquer the Marpi course.

Not even the news of Supertyphoon Chaba’s approach to the Marianas was able to slow down all around athlete Melissa Coleman, who posted the fastest time among females en route to crossing the finish line in 26:06 for first place in the girls 13-15 age group. Not far behind was swimming standout Nina Mosley (26:45) and Amanda Johnson (26:59).

It was a tight race to the finish in the girls 10-12 category, which featured sprint sensation Reylene Sapong edging Camryn Mosley for first place. Sapong stormed through the course in 26:46 while Mosley clocked in just a second later. Lila Mailman secured a notable finish with time of 28:50 for third.

For their part, Olivia Austin and Dominique Austin topped the girls 7-9 category with times of 37:34 and 43:33.

Racing across the finish line in a boys 10-12 category first place time of 25:33 was Hunter Thorpe while second and third were Nathan Taitano (29:38) and Bradley Brostrom (33:04).

Scoring the win in the boys’ 7-9 age group was Crosby Schultz, who huffed and puffed to the finish line in 33:21. Harrison Smith also punched in a respectable time of 33:55 for second place while Noah Conrad completed the race in 34:14 for third place.

Guy Mosley, James Sakamoto, and Miguel Brostrom took the spotlight in the boys 13-15 category, with Mosley posting the fastest time after clocking in at 37:48. Sakamoto and Brostrom finished in 38:35 and 38:39.

A shorter course was also designed for participants in the six-and-under age class, which featured female road-runner Gabriel Race taking center stage with a time of 19:52. Mariana Taitano and Aliya Conrad also completed the task not too long after, crossing the finish line in 22:05 and 26:04.

Topping the boy’s category was Danny Arthur with a time of 22:09, while Hunter Jewell and Carter Smith rounded up the top three. Jewell rested after running 25:05 while Smith posted a time of 28:16.

Over 150 participants, including adult competitors, gathered at Banzai Cliff, the starting and finishing point of the race.

The record for the event was set in 2001 by Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel who ran like lighting for a time of 18:59.