(Press Release) — One of the main themes that the NMI Women’s 10K was community and with that, it was a resounding success. More than 100 women came out to run the first ever NMI Women’s 10K but there were many more indicators of community in the event.
Forty of the women participating in the event were also on one of the 10 teams competing for the chance to choose the charity recipient for the prize money. Teams consisted of four runners and the top three runners’ times were added together to form a composite time with the lowest time taking the prize. Noriko Jim, Šarka Glajchova, Tiana Cabrera and Anika Snyder of team SIS Cares for Animals took the first-place spot with a time of 2:27:33, followed by team NMIFA B, and Team Agape.
Also competing were Truth Bader Ginsberg, Scrambled Legs, Short Shorts and Long Runs.
NMIFA and SIS hosted multiple teams, hammering home the community theme.
NMIFA had four teams and the second SIS team, SIS Stakeholders, had one student, one teacher, one alumnus and one parent.
Team SIS Cares for Animals has chosen Saipan Cares for Animals as the recipient of the prize money this year as they struggle to fund their move to a new location.
Community transcended the actual running though as the event could not have been possible without the efforts of many volunteers.
Rep. Denita Kaipat Yangetmai donated mwáárs to the top finishers, Rep. Leila Staffler assembled all of the runners by blowing a conch horn and the race began when Yvette Bennet and Lia Rangamar started the race with the pounding sound of coconuts.
Two additional groups cheered the women on along the course and womaned water stations: The Ach Chuuk CNMI Association -Chuukese Women’s Group were at the 13 Fisherman’s Memorial and the SIS Rotary Interact Club was stationed at the 5K turn-around with signs supporting women created by Amie McRobert’s Grade 8 class.
Northern Mariana Athletics would also like to thank the volunteer race crew and the sponsors and donors Marpac Home & Family, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Triple J Superfresh, MVA, DPS, McDonald’s of Saipan, Khaiceel’s Savvy Bags, Irensia Studio, AXISS Photo, Inspire Micronesia, Run Saipan and everyone else that donated in one way or another to this year’s woman’s run. Without the combined efforts of everyone, the event would not have been possible!
While the first ever NMI Women’s 10K is in the books, the chance to participate is not over.
The virtual community has also been very active with runners like the Run Saipan team of Anastasiia Dela Cruz on Saipan, Jacquelina Wonenberg in Idaho, Tania Tan in NY, and 1LT Alisha Shrestha from South Korea where she is serving as a physician’s assistant at Camp Casey.
Men are also welcome in the virtual community in many different distance categories. For example, Martin Glajch is supporting his sister, Šarka, and all women by clocking in virtually from Prague in the Czech Republic.
Full results can be seen at: https://raceroster.com/events/2021/45389/nmi-10km-womens-run
The NMA Middle- and Long-Distance Team and the Saipan Runs Club are inviting any last-minute runners to come out and join them at the track on Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. to add their times for this year’s virtual event.
For those of you who would still like to support the important women in your lives, the NMI Women’s 10K and/or Saipan Cares for Animals, members of these two teams have volunteered to run the distance on your behalf. Just show up and cheer them on!
Yvonne Bennet, Marcia Schultz, Rep. Sheila Babauta, Mae Duenas Basa, Lia Rangamar, Maxine Lazlo and Jessica Williams pose near the finish line of the NMI Women’s Run 2021 on Saturday.
Contributed photo
Saipan International School Rotary Interact members pose at the turning point of the NMI Women’s Run 2021 on Saturday.
Photo by Jonathan Ibajan
