RUNNERS on island are finding ways to keep moving as around 40 of them participated in the Guam Running Club’s Hafa Half Marathon and raised $1,175. The virtual fundraising event on Sunday was dedicated to the club’s late member, Marissa David Peroy.
On Saipan, the marathon course was from American Memorial Park to the Pacific Islands Club and then back to the park — a distance of about 22 kilometers or over 13 miles.
Although the event was supposed to be ran on Guam, Northern Marianas Athletics secretary general Robin Sapong worked with the Guam Running Club to allow Saipan runners to join the marathon.
It was not a competition, but the Saipan participants recorded their run on the Strava app, Saipan event co-coordinator Edward Dela Cruz Jr. said.
Team Ekiden 5 composed of Hiramitsu Ono, Mitchiteru Mita, Noriko Jim and Taro Goto had the fastest time, clocking at 01:33:03.
They were followed by Ekiden 10’s Dev Bechani, Markus Toves, Jerald Aquino and Dylan Mister who clocked at 01:36:51.
For their part, Ekiden 1’s Jack Kabriel, Gerald Galang, Vhoie Francia and Alyona Gersonde clocked at 01:37:40.
Among the participating solo runners, Edward Dela Cruz Jr. finished first with a time of 01:45:52 followed by Ronald Villafria with 01:54:51, Malou Carlos at 02:18:36, and Manny Sitchon who clocked in at 02:49:38.
As for the top three runners in the 5k distance, men’s division, they were Shuji Kuroda who led the pack with a time of 00:18:22; Edward Dela Cruz Jr. with 00:20:09; and Markus Toves with 00:21:05.
In the women’s division, Andrei Kaithlyn Chavez clocked at 00:21:23; Noriko Jim, 00:21:34; and Akiko Miller, 00:22:08.
The Hafa Half Marathon Saipan coordinators Edward Dela Cruz Jr. and Robin Sapong pose for a photo.
Contributed photo
