By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

NMI student-athletes had a fruitful campaign in the Guam High Schools All Island Track and Field Championships last Saturday at the Leo Palace track and field facility bringing home three CNMI national records.
Yvonne Bennett of Kagman High School recorded two national marks, while Jacque Wonenberg of Marianas High School broke one NMI national record.
Bennett competed in the 100m race and timed in at 13.57 seconds (electronic time) to set a new mark in that event.
Bennett’s second record-breaking run came in the 200m race when she clocked 27.89 seconds. The Lady Ayuyus sprinter ruled her heat beating teammate Jacque Wonenberg, who posted 28.30 seconds.
Wonenberg redeemed herself in the 400m race timing in at 1:02.50, a new CNMI national record. The MHS athlete also participated in the long jump and posted 4.57m.
The Northern Marianas Athletics sent only three athletes to the weekend meet with Sylvan Rangamar of Saipan Southern High School joining the discus throw event and recording 34.46m. Rangamar failed to set a personal mark, but he topped his event.
“Our athletes did very well on Guam. They enjoyed the competition and were very happy with the comments from Guam fans and athletes. They said it was simply a good show of speed, jumps and throws,” said NMA secretary Robin Sapong, who accompanied the three athletes to Guam.
“The Northern Mariana Athletics would like to give a big thank you to Guam Track and Field and the organizers of this year’s High Schools All Island Track and Field meet for inviting our athletes to compete and we hope we can send a bigger team next year,” Sapong added.
NMA received the invitation from Guam organizers only a week before the tournament. During that time, NMA was busy with the McDonald’s All Schools meet and did not have enough time to inform other schools about the Guam tournament.
The three NMI athletes went to Guam last Friday, only six days after their impressive showings in the McDonald’s All Schools meet at the Oleai Sports Complex track and field facility.
Wonenberg prevailed in the girls’ 15-18 400m race timing in at 1: 02.50 seconds (manual time) and in the long jump event (4.97m). She also paced the Lady Dolphins to first place finishes in the 4x100m and 4x400m relay races.
Bennett topped the sprint events prevailing in the 100m race with a time of 13.23 seconds and the 200m run after clocking 26.81 seconds.
Rangamar won in the boys’ 15-18 discus throw. He posted 33.97m defeating eight other participants.