FILOMENALEONISA Iakopo continues to improve in athletics as she stamped her name on the neighboring island of Guam by winning first place in the 100-meter and 60-meter sprints of the Guam Track & Field Association or GTFA Athletic Series on Sunday.
Filomenaleonisa Iakopo, right, leads a sprint event in the fourth meet of the GFTA 2022 Athletics Series on Guam, Sunday.
In an interview, Iakopo said she realized that she needed to elevate her training and improve her skills. With the support of her parents, “I wanted to test my abilities, and one way was to compete unofficially with runners from Guam. GTFA provided me with this opportunity and I wanted to challenge myself.”
The 16-year-old Kagman High School sophomore participates in many sports including mixed martial arts and motocross, but where she shines the brightest is in athletics, finishing first in many local sprint events.
On Guam, she topped the 100m and 60m sprints. “I do know that I still have work to do,” she told Variety. “One of the challenges was how windy it was. I need to prepare for situations like this because I know I can clock in a faster time. I am my biggest competitor.”
The Guam series, which began in January, helps island athletes prepare year-round, giving them an opportunity to compete outside of the regular athletics seasons. It also gives them a chance to qualify for the 2022 Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games in June.
