Anastasia Dela Cruz and son, Sasha, cross the finish line to top the stroller division of Run from 2023 at Smiling Cove Marina on Sunday.
Chiharu Sato finishes first in the 50-54 age group of Run from 2023 at Smiling Cove Marina on Sunday.
Rex Pixley topped the U18 age group of Run from 2023 at Smiling Cove Marina on Sunday.
ASIDE from Jody O’Sullivan, who set a new record in the mile-long Run from 2023 that was hosted by Run Saipan at Smiling Cove Marina on Sunday, several other individuals took the spotlight as the top finishers in their respective age divisions.
In the prams/stroller age division, the lone competitors, mother Anastasia and son Alexander “Sasha” Dela Cruz, took the top spot with a time of 9:49.
The top spot in the U14 age group was claimed by Eamon Tang with a time of 6:18 followed by Victor Neil Santos at 6:40.
In the U18 division, Rex Pixley finished first at 5:17 while Victor Nash Santos came in second with a time of 5:25 and Simon Tang placed third at 5:35.
In the 19-34 age group, the top three were Simon Necesito with a time of 7:35 followed by Kurt Songsong at 7:38 and Ricky Santiago at 8:28.
In the 50-54 men’s age group, it was a close race between James Abuy and Galvin “Dr. G.” Deleon Guerrero. Abuy stepped on the pedal in the last few seconds to edge Deleon Guerrero and claim first place with a time of 7:40. Deleon Guerrero came in second at 7:40.1.
In the women’s 50-54 age group, the lone runner, Chiharu Sato, clocked 8:21. For her part, Cary Bertoncini, the sole competitor in the 55-59 age group, crossed the finish line with a time of 7:08.
“I know it’s pretty hard to wake up on a holiday eve morning where you want to sleep in,” said Run Saipan President Edward Dela Cruz Jr. “But thank you guys so much for taking the time to come out and run our shortest and fastest race of the entire year.”
He also thanked Northern Marianas Athletics, the volunteers and race officials as well as all the runners who came out.
“Congratulations to Jody O’Sullivan for making the record under a five-minute mile,” Dela Cruz said. “Now if anybody wants to break the new course record, they have to run faster than 4:59. And if anybody wants to break the course record on Beach Road or at Mariana Resort they have to beat Keith Ketola’s time set in 2022 of 4:14,” Dela Cruz added.
