All Schools qualifiers underway

The qualifiers leading up to the 2006 McDonald’s All Schools Track and Field Championships got underway yesterday afternoon at the Oleai Sports Complex.

Organized by Northern Marianas Athletics, the first qualifier featured only one school as only students from Whispering Palms School took part in the event.

Schools that were scheduled to take part yesterday, however, still have a chance of having students qualify for various events as more qualifiers will be held throughout the week and the entire month.

The qualifiers continue today beginning at 3:30pm with 9-and-under and 11-and-under students from Koblerville, Oleai, San Antonio, and William S. Reyes elementary schools, Saipan Community School, and Grace Christian Academy scheduled to test their skills.

Events lined up for the week are 100m and 200m sprints, long jump, 1,500m, and 4X100m relay.

Schools scheduled for tomorrow include San Vicente and Gregorio T. Camacho elementary schools, Mt. Carmel School, Seventh Day Adventist, and Joshua Generation International.

The older students from the junior high and high schools will have their shot at qualifying in the 100m, 200m, 1,500m, discus, shot put, long jump, and 4X100m relay on Thursday.

Junior high schools scheduled for the day include Hopwood and Cha Cha Oceanview junior high schools, Grace Christian Academy, Mt. Carmel School, Calvary Christian Academy, Saipan International School, and Saipan Community School.

High schools invited for the day are Marianas, Saipan Southern, and Kagman high schools, Grace Christian, Mt. Carmel, and Northern Marianas Academy.

Individuals will compete for slots in the Championships, which will be on May 6. An individual is limited to just four events for the Championships, with exception to the 11-and-under and 9-and-under participants who are competing in the 800m and 1,500m events, who will be competing in only three events.

Six slots will be available for Saipan athletes as the two remaining spots will be occupied by Tinian and Rota. In the case that Rota or Tinan does not have a competitor in an event, the next best finisher from the Saipan qualifiers will take the slot.

Each event will also count in the team scoring, with each first place finish earning 10 points, second place earning eight points, third place six points, fourth place four points, fifth place two points, and sixth place one point.

Team trophies will be awarded to the top three schools in each age category for boys and girls. Medals will also be presented to the top three performers in each event.

For more information, contact Elias Rangamar at 664-2502 or email to eli_rang@yahoo.com or email NMA secretary general Robin Sapong at sapong@pti.net.