By James Sablan
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
ALTHOUGH the beautiful scenery was marred by heavy rain, Lily Muldoon and Dave Odicta proved they were top competitors in any condition, placing first in their respective divisions of Run Saipan’s 4th Annual Saipan International Airport Trail Run, held along the perimeter of Airport Road.
The event featured a grueling 8K trail race and a fast-paced 1-mile youth run, setting a competitive tone for the island’s 2026 racing calendar.
The premier 8K trail race saw a display of endurance and speed led by Lily Muldoon, who delivered the performance of the morning — not only winning the overall female division but posting the fastest time of the entire day at 36:54. Muldoon finished more than seven minutes ahead of runner-up Dianna Zheng, who crossed the line in 44:25, while Orica George rounded out the female podium in 46:53.
In the men’s division, the finish line was the site of a heart-pounding sprint, as Dave Odicta narrowly secured first place with a time of 39:23. Eugene Olivar was a close second at 39:27, and Matt Furan finished third in 44:34.
The masters and youth divisions showcased the depth of Saipan’s running community. In the female 18 & under category, Genelin Lansangan dominated with a time of 47:09. The rest of the results in each age group are as follows:
Female Division
40–44
1st Shawna Brennfleck – 47:21
2nd Kerri Bauer – 52:59
3rd Soledad Tenorio – 53:18
45–49
1st Pamela Walsh – 54:20
2nd Lorraine Ada – 1:00:31
3rd Shiela Isla – 1:04:36
50–54
1st Leonora Abuy – 1:11:31
55–59
1st Nelly Min – 53:32
Male Division
Open
1st Philip Joseph Santos – 45:09
2nd Ariel Lapuz – 59:05
34–39
1st Scott Smith – 45:44
2nd Rich Salas – 52:12
3rd Kurt Songsong – 53:00
45–49
1st Alvin Reyes – 55:05
50–54
1st Brad Ruszala – 1:21:12
55–59
1st James Abuy – 1:11:31
60–64
1st Floro Derexes – 1:01:41
65+
1st Paul Khang – 57:47
2nd Changwhan Jang – 59:22
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.
