By James Sablan
james@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
THE CNMI Masters athletes delivered a strong performance at the 2025 Oceania Cup in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, bringing home a haul of gold, silver, and bronze medals.
The team’s success was led by Krista Hawley and James Munnis III, whose standout performances highlighted the CNMI’s strength on the regional stage.
Krista Hawley showcased her prowess in middle- and long-distance events, claiming five gold medals and one silver. Her golds came in the Women’s 55-59 5000m (24:07.97), 100m (16.39), 60m (10.43), 400m (1:22.21), and 5000m Masters Championships (24:07.97). She added a silver in the 200m (34.39) and also competed in several additional events to represent the CNMI.
James Munnis III excelled in the Men’s 60-64 middle- and long-distance events, capturing four silver medals in the 800m (2:48.56), 1500m (5:38.72), 1500m Masters (5:38.72), 5000m (21:42.27), along with a bronze in the 5000m Masters (21:42.27). He also competed in other races to round out his competitive program.
Adding to CNMI’s medal tally, Robin Sapong, Northern Marianas Association general secretary and Oceania Athletics president, earned bronze in the Men’s 50-54 60m Masters (9.59 seconds).
The performances of Hawley, Munnis, and Sapong underscore the dedication, skill, and competitive spirit of CNMI Masters athletes at the Oceania Cup, demonstrating their ability to compete at a high level on the regional stage.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.