By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

(First of a series)

THE NMI joined the rest of the world in celebrating the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Day by showcasing the skills of young athletes during the 3rd McDonald’s All Schools Track and Field Championships held over the weekend at the Oleai Sports Complex track and field facility.
Young athletes aged six to 18 showed their prowess in throwing, jumping and running events in the McDonald’s All School track meet making the organizing Northern Marianas Athletics one of the 157 IAAF-member federations who took part in the annual worldwide festival of youth from May 12 to 13.
World Athletics Day was inaugurated in 1996 with the goal of encouraging student-athletes to join the sport and excel in it.
In the NMI, the goal was slowly becoming realized with about 1,500 students from various schools in the commonwealth joining the third edition of the meet and winning not only one, but multiple events.
Multiple gold medal winners included Taylor Knecht, Michaela Grandinetti, Gabrielle Race, Neghar Rastguiy and Ryan Baron of Whispering Palms, Yvonne Bennett and Jesus Iguel of Kagman, Lia Rangamar of Grace Christian Academy, Jordan Bucher and Angelo Jones of Saipan International School, JR Concepcion, Chiang Duenas and Reylynn Sapong of Hopwood Junior High School, Nate Mateo and Jacque Wonenberg of Marianas High School, Eva Ito of Saipan Southern High School, Brandon Phillip of Koblerville Elementary School and Jordan Manglona of Kagman Elementary School.
Second and third placers in each event and in various age groups also received medals, while the top three winning schools took home trophies.
After tough competitions last Friday and Saturday, Whispering Palms, Saipan International School and Hopwood had won two divisions each.
The Navy Hill-based school topped the girls’ 6 to 8 division getting a total of 83 points. Points were given to each school based on how their athletes finished in the tournament.
Saipan International School placed second with 38 points, while Saipan Community despite having a small delegation saved third place with 36.50 points.
SIS prevailed in the boys’ 6 to 8 division with 93 points, followed by William S. Reyes (64 points) and Whispering Palms (45).
Whispering Palms grabbed its second first place trophy winning the girls’ 9 to 10 age group scoring 80 points. Kagman was second with 52 and Tanapag placed third with 48 points.
William S. Reyes ruled the boys’ 9 to 10 after beating Kagman by only six points. The Kingfishers earned 66 points against the Marlins 60 points. SIS finished third.
SIS recovered in the girls’ 11 to 12 age group scoring 87 points, beating Tanapag and Kagman, which posted 44 and 34 points respectively.
San Antonio Elementary School claimed the boys’ 11 to 12 age group honors, while Whispering Palms finished second and Koblerville placed third.
Hopwood dominated the boys and girls’ 13 to 14 age groups.
Hopwood outclassed Whispering Palms and GCA in the girls’ division and beat Whispering Palms, ChaCha Ocean View Junir High, SCS, Tinian and SSHS in the boys’ division.
For the third straight year, Marianas High School topped the girls’ division after scoring 158 points. Southern placed second with 91, followed by Kagman with 57.
The Ayuyus stunned the favored MHS for the second straight year winning the boys’division with 172 points. MHS was in second with 116, followed by Southern with 68.
Meanwhile, NMA developmental officer Elias Rangamar during the closing ceremony thanked school officials, parents, teachers, coaches and volunteers for making the McDonald’s All School meet a success.
The complete list of winners in the meet will be published in succeeding issues of the Variety.