Tania Tan, center, at the medal podium again after winning the 10K race.
HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Northern Marianas Sports Association) — Runner Tania Tan picked up where she left off, winning the 10K run in the 2023 Pacific Games Wednesday night in Honiara, the Solomon Islands.
After clinching the gold medal in the 5,000m run last Monday night, Tan returned to the track oval and handed Team Marianas its fifth gold medal in the quadrennial competition. Official times in the 10K race was unavailable at press time, but according to Team Marianas and Northern Marianas Athletics officials, the 22-year-old Tan timed in at sub 40-minute and defeated 13 other runners entered in the longest race in Day 3 of the track and field event.
In other results in athletics, Theodore Rodgers advanced to semifinals of the 200m run after making the grade in the qualifying heat. The 17-year-old runner was on Heat 5 and finished fourth with a time of 23.76 seconds to move to the semis, which will take place tonight. Alexander Go also joined the 200m qualifying race and submitted 24.36 seconds on Heat 1.
In beach volleyball, Logan Mister and Andrew Johnson went 2-0 in Pool C after sweeping Tonga’s Latu Sione and Vakalahi Moto in the morning match, 21-3, 21-8. Later Wednesday night, Mister and Johnson challenged the gold medalists in last year’s Pacific Mini Games — Vanuatu’s James Chilia and Stivano Banga and pulled off a cliffhanger in the opening set, 23-21. Scores of the second set was unavailable at press time, but the opposing teams battled in another close match.
In triathlon, Leo Wania completed the course in 49:49 with split times of 9:06 (400m swim), 21:32 (10K bike), and 16:40 (2.KM run).
Beach volleyball and athletics events will continue today, Thursday, while triathlon will have its grand file and B finals in the morning.
For their part, the NMI Men’s National Football Team will play a consolation game against Tuvalu at 12 noon (Saipan time). The NMI is looking to end its campaign in the 2023 Pacific Games with back-to-back wins after shutting down American Samoa, 4-0, Monday.
With three days left in the competitions in the 2023 Pacific Games, New Caledonia has zeroed in on the top spot in the medal tally with its 68-42-43 tally. Team Marianas has a 5-1-6 tally, ahead of 13 other countries.
Team Marianas’ participation in this year’s Pacific Games is supported by the Joeten Daidai Foundation, Triple J, Crowne Plaza Resort, IT&E, IP&E, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, Mobil, Tan Holdings, and McDonald’s.
Logan Mister and Andrew Johnson walk back to the court for the second set of their game against Tonga.
