By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
TEAM NMI continues to hold its own against the region’s elite, delivering highly competitive performances in both middle-distance running and field events at the 2026 Oceania Athletics Championships held at Arafura Stadium in Darwin.
Facing powerhouse delegations from Australia and New Zealand, NMI athletes demonstrated remarkable grit, with rising star Addalee Taflinger delivering a major personal breakthrough despite a challenging buildup.
Competing in the women’s U18 800m and 1500m divisions, Taflinger endured a demanding two-day schedule. Coming off a rigorous preparation period back home following the devastation of Super Typhoon Sinlaku, simply reaching the starting line was a victory in itself.
In her opening event — the lightning-fast women’s U18 800m final on Monday — Taflinger finished eighth in 2:31.55, edging Australia’s Pippa Schwarz, who clocked 2:31.69.
Taflinger admitted the magnitude of the stage brought early nerves.
“The 800 was my first race and I was very nervous and I didn’t do my best,” she said.
However, it was the 1500m final where Taflinger truly found her stride. Delivering what she described as a far more meaningful performance, she blocked out the noise and clocked 5:28.32 to secure sixth place overall while resetting her personal best in the process.
“The 1500 was more meaningful for me,” Taflinger said. “In the 1500m, I was only in my head and focused only on my race. I pushed myself and got a PB, so personally, I improved significantly and was able to work on my mentality when running. Going into the second race, I knew I needed to focus on myself and the track.”
The standard of competition at OAC2026 proved formidable, with Australia’s Zoe St. John sweeping the U18 middle-distance events. For Taflinger, witnessing that elite level firsthand has sparked motivation for the next phase of her training.
“The level of competition was extreme,” Taflinger said. “I was amazed at how fast the other girls were running. Talking with some of them after the race, I really think more intense training and running more frequently would help me become stronger and an overall better runner. The competition was extremely hard.”
Armed with a fresh personal best and a new perspective, the young NMI runner is already looking ahead.
“I am very satisfied with my results even though I wish I could have done better,” Taflinger said. “Coming out of this event, I have more motivation and goals to work toward, and I am excited to start a new plan and work harder toward it. I am so glad I was able to represent Team NMI during this event and, coming off a difficult period after Typhoon Sinlaku, still show up and give it my all.”
In the women’s senior 1500m division, veteran distance runner Nathania “Tania” Tan competed against an elite field. Running in Heat 1, Tan maintained a strong pace to finish seventh in 4:55.79, comfortably ahead of regional rival Keira Paz of Guam, who finished in 5:30.13.
Meanwhile, in the field events, Maria Maelaine I. Quitugua represented the modern strength of Team NMI in the senior women’s javelin throw (600g).
Quitugua launched a best mark of 32.44 meters on her opening attempt, followed by a throw of 31.44m before recording a foul on her third and final attempt. Her opening distance held strong, securing 11th place overall ahead of Solomon Islands’ Julian Sosimo (31.78m) while keeping pace with regional competitors from Tonga and the Federated States of Micronesia.
With several days of competition still remaining at the Oceania Championships, Team NMI looks to carry its momentum into the remaining track and field events as the Marianas athletes continue chasing personal records and regional success.
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.
