
By Kolby Chang
Guam is gold after some stellar performances by wrestlers Joey Lopez and Mia Aquino, respectively, at the 2014 Oceania Championships held from March 22-23 in Apia, Samoa. As it seems to be the case with most local athletes competing aboard, the two wrestlers were at a size disadvantage against their playing field. That, however, did not stop them taking the top spot against some of the best grapplers in the region.
Upon arriving at the championships, Lopez discovered there were no Greco-Roman competitors in the 66-kilogram weight class so he decided to go up a weight class and garnered gold after pinning a wrestler from Tonga.
“I did what I had to do. I had a good camp for this. I owe it all my training partners and my coaches for the results,” the Spike 22 representative said.
Aquino, a sophomore at Simon Sanchez High School, topped the 60-kilogram weight class in girls’ freestyle wrestling division. Aquino wrestled all three of her matches against taller, heavier opponents and also qualified for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games this August in Nanjing, China. What’s more impressive is Aquino is used to wrestling collegiate style but she still managed to adapt her game and take home a gold medal against some strong competition.
“I went up against New Zealand, Kiribati and American Samoa,” Aquino said.
With the Oceania championships now complete, Aquino is setting her sights on China and trying to balance a hectic schedule for a 16-year old.
“It’s quite hard. I have to juggle it with my honors [classes] and the rest of my classes and music,” Aquino said.
Lopez, meanwhile, is working towards his ultimate goal of qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics. He appears to be on the right track after winning his second consecutive gold medal and a third overall at the Oceania championships all while showing no signs of slowing down.
“Next on the horizon for me is the Atlas Oceania tournament in the Philippines, I’ve got the Micronesia Games in July and then the [FILA] World Championships in September,” Lopez said.
Aquino thanks her teammates at Simon Sanchez, her coach and her sister for their support.
“I’d also like to thank my family on here Guam. They’re the biggest support and my biggest sponsors along with my family in Hawaii; my uncle Nano and my auntie Leslie,” Aquino said.


GPS Sports Calendar
April 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 1
Events for March
1st
HIGH SCHOOL PADDLING
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Events for April
1st
Events for April
3rd
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for April
6th
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Events for April
6th
Events for April
8th
Events for April
10th
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Events for April
11th
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for April
11th
Events for April
13th
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for April
14th
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Events for April
15th
HIGH SCHOOL PADDLING
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Events for April
16th
GUAM KO’KO’ ROAD RACE
GUAM EXTREME ADVENTURE RACE
Events for April
18th
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for April
18th
Events for April
20th
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for April
21st
SMOKIN WHEELS
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Events for April
22nd
2023 SPRING PATGON JIU-JITSU TOURNAMENT
SMOKIN WHEELS
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Events for April
24th
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for April
25th
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for April
25th
Events for April
27th
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for April
28th
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Events for April
29th
HIGH SCHOOL PADDLING
GSPN-TRENHEADS HIGH SCHOOL POWERLIFTING COMPETITION
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
- 30
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for April
29th

Football
JFK PULLS OFF 4TH QUARTER COMEBACK

MMA/Boxing
BENAVENTE BRINGS RARE SKILL TO FIGHT GAME

Jiu-Jitsu
ATOS BRINGS BACK 44 MEDALS FROM JAPAN

Football
JFK PULLS OFF 4TH QUARTER COMEBACK

Volleyball
EAGLES HOLD OFF WARRIORS IN 5 SETS
COMING SOON …
- 4th Quarter Sports
QUICK HITS
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Guam MTB National Championship: Edward Oingerang and Jennifer Camacho are your 2023 MTB national champions. Oingerang finished the course in 1:13:24 while Camacho won her second straight title in 54:08.