Basketball and athletics’ Lia Rangamar is one of the two flag bearers for Team Marianas at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Micronesian Games Monday in the Marshall Islands.
(Northern Marianas Sports Association) — Team Marianas ruled the 2024 Micronesian Games after finishing with a 70-23-29 gold-silver-bronze medal tally yesterday.
This is the first time since 2002 that Team Marianas ranked No.1 in the final medal standings. In 2002, the NMI had 24-26-17 gold-silver-medal tally in the 2002 Micronesian Games held in Pohnpei. This year, the 120 total medals that NMI athletes and officials won are the islands’ highest, breaking the 92 (44-23-25) that Team Marianas previously won in the 2010 Micronesian Games in Palau.
“We did not expect our team to win these many medals. However, this goes to show how much hard work everyone on Team Marianas put in, in the past several months to be able to perform at their best and represent our islands well in the 2024 Micronesian. We are very proud of our Team Marianas,” NMI Chef De Mission Valerie Hofschneider said.
From left, Jason Tarkong, James Attao-Greene Jr., Ryan Babauta, and Rick Bauer are all smiles following the team’s triumph in beach wrestling competition in the 2024 Micronesian Games in the Marshall Islands Monday morning.
In the unofficial final medal standings, Team Marianas led with 70 medals, surpassing Nauru’s 68. Nauru had a close competition with the NMI in the top rankings, excelling in weightlifting and securing 45 gold medals.
Team Marianas, for its part, dominated the swimming competition — pool and open water swims — earning 49 golds, 15 silvers, and 14 bronzes.
The NMI National Tennis Team earned the second most gold medals for Team Marianas with 7 medals while the Jeff Race-coached squad bagged two bronzes.
Athletics contributed 5 golds, 2 silvers, and 6 bronzes, while weightlifting chipped in 3 golds, 5 silvers, and 4 bronzes. Basketball added one silver (women’s division), while the women’s fast-pitch won a bronze, and beach volleyball delivered a pair of bronze medals.
Icing on the cake
Wrestlers James Attao-Greene Jr. and Ryan Babauta sealed the deal for Team Marianas in the 2024 Micro Games after winning the NMI delegation’s last two gold medals. The two wrestlers topped their respective beach wrestling competitions and contributed a total of 6 gold medals, as they also prevailed in the freestyle and Greco-Roman events over the weekend.
Attao-Greene Jr., Babauta and coaches Jason Tarkong and Rick Bauer joined the NMI Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams and the NMI Women’s Fast-Pitch Softball Team in the closing ceremony Monday evening in Majuro. Babauta and women’s basketball player and athletics representative Lia Rangamar were named flag bearers at the closing ceremony.
Team Marianas’ women’s fast-pitch crew in action during their semifinal game against Pohnpei. Team Marianas won the bronze medal.
A big thank you
Team Marianas and the Northern Marianas Sports Association Board thanked all the individuals and organizations that supported the NMI athletes and officials’ participation in the Micro Games, and the entire NMI community for rallying behind Team Marianas since Day 1 of the competitions in the Marshall Islands.
Team Marianas is sponsored by Joeten Daidai Foundation, Mariana Express Lines Pte. Ltd, Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation, Skechers, Triple J Enterprise, E-Land Group, D&Q, TakeCare Insurance, IT&E, Bank of Guam, Black Construction Corp., Dial-Rent-To-Own, RNV Construction, GPPC/Apex Builders, Matson, Chinese Association of Saipan, Y.K. Corp., LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort, Jose & Ruri Ayuyu Foundation/McDonald’s, P&A Corp., Artman Corp., Zoom Café, and I Love Saipan.
