
By Robert Balajadia
The overall winner for the 2017 Guam National Triathlon Championships was a more than familiar face as Guam’s star athlete Manami Iijima crossed the finish line at 2:18:01. Iijima was the first solo-competitor out of the water during her 1.5km swim, first to finish her 40km bike ride, and first to wrap up her 10km run with only two relay teams ahead of her.
“I wasn’t having the best day, but I just told myself to do my best and this is what I have to give. The water was fun, even though I don’t usually enjoy the swim, I’d say that was the best part,” said the swimmer turned triathlete Manami.
Iijima was surprised at the turn point of her 10k with the competitors tasked to run an extra 100m up ‘Jesus Hill’ which, after the 1.5km swim and 40km bike ride, would feel like torture. But competing on Guam has its benefits for the traveling triathlete star.
“It’s always fun competing here because everyone knows me and I know everyone so people always cheer each other on. It was great to have my training partner Laura [Nadeau] out there pushing me as well,” said Manami.
Following Iijima was training partner Nadeau at 2:20:04 to secure the 2nd overall finisher spot as they hope to replicate their success in Chattanooga later this September in Tennessee’s Annual 2017 Ironman event.
The first male finisher Shin Miyagi coming in at 2:23:01. The veteran competitor Miyagi did face a tough obstacle during his run that slowed him down.
“The run was brutal. I started to cramp after the first lap and I just knew I wasn’t going to finish strong. I did a lot of short distance workouts to prepare for this, but you just can’t get used to the heat; today was crazy hot.” said Miyagi.
Guam’s professional athlete Mieko Carey stormed in as the 3rd female finisher, 4th overall, with a 2:28:04 to almost secure a clean sweep of top female finishers, which would have been an event first.
Rose Munoz and Art Guerrero were awarded the newest Guam National Triathlon Champions.
Another familiar face competing was runner Ryan Matienzo, who only participated in the bike and run portion of the race as he plans to eventually ease into the swimming portion.
“I’m still years away from competing in the swimming portion. I’m still trying to incorporate biking then running because I was two minutes behind in my run!,” added Matienzo.
PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
RESULTS
1. | 219 | Team Just Here For The Beer | 02:04:32.8 | 00:00:00.0 | MALE TEAM |
2. | 221 | Team Organized Chaos | 02:15:33.9 | 00:11:01.1 | MALE TEAM |
3. | 1 | Manami Iijima | 02:18:01.6 | 00:13:28.8 | Female 18-29 |
4. | 216 | Team Asian Warrior | 02:19:08.5 | 00:14:35.7 | MALE TEAM |
5. | 10 | Laura Nadeau | 02:20:39.8 | 00:16:07.0 | Female 30-39 |
6. | 31 | Shin Miyagi | 02:22:59.9 | 00:18:27.1 | Male 30-39 |
7. | 13 | Mieko Carey | 02:28:04.4 | 00:23:31.6 | Female 30-39 |
8. | 200 | Team Bing Bong | 02:29:14.4 | 00:24:41.6 | CO-ED TEAM |
9. | 215 | Team Apo Roque #2017 | 02:31:08.6 | 00:26:35.8 | MALE TEAM |
10. | 9 | Jayme Bograd | 02:31:49.2 | 00:27:16.4 | Female 30-39 |
11. | 22 | Carlo Baguyo | 02:33:53.9 | 00:29:21.1 | Male 18-29 |
12. | 24 | Sean Kitchen | 02:34:00.2 | 00:29:27.4 | Male 18-29 |
13. | 42 | Art Guerrero | 02:35:29.5 | 00:30:56.7 | Male 50-59 |
14. | 20 | Taiga Sato | 02:36:43.5 | 00:32:10.7 | Male 1-17 |
15. | 30 | Christopher Nadeau | 02:42:11.7 | 00:37:38.9 | Male 30-39 |
16. | 39 | Cameron Oneal | 02:44:18.7 | 00:39:45.9 | Male 40-49 |
17. | 35 | Arnold Gimoto | 02:44:21.4 | 00:39:48.6 | Male 40-49 |
18. | 8 | Rose Munoz | 02:46:13.7 | 00:41:40.9 | Female 30-39 |
19. | 29 | Erik Boyd | 02:47:51.6 | 00:43:18.8 | Male 30-39 |
20. | 209 | Team T-Soldiers | 02:47:56.0 | 00:43:23.2 | CO-ED TEAM |
21. | 38 | Rudy Palencia | 02:48:55.8 | 00:44:23.0 | Male 40-49 |
22. | 6 | Kristi Woesner | 02:49:40.8 | 00:45:08.0 | Female 30-39 |
23. | 36 | James Sardea | 02:51:39.3 | 00:47:06.5 | Male 40-49 |
24. | 27 | Steve Camacho | 02:53:22.4 | 00:48:49.6 | Male 30-39 |
25. | 32 | Chun Wei Huang | 02:53:51.1 | 00:49:18.3 | Male 40-49 |
26. | 41 | Alex Oviedo | 02:54:10.2 | 00:49:37.4 | Male 50-59 |
27. | 26 | Thomas Starnes | 02:56:30.9 | 00:51:58.1 | Male 30-39 |
28. | 3 | Sarah Fyda | 02:57:30.6 | 00:52:57.8 | Female 18-29 |
29. | 217 | Team Coconuts & Kiwis | 02:57:51.0 | 00:53:18.2 | MALE TEAM |
30. | 44 | Kilhak Kunimoto | 02:58:11.8 | 00:53:39.0 | Male 60+ |
31. | 5 | Jennifer Camacho | 02:58:56.6 | 00:54:23.8 | Female 30-39 |
32. | 204 | Team Hsc25 | 03:00:19.5 | 00:55:46.7 | CO-ED TEAM |
33. | 40 | Bong Mojas | 03:00:38.3 | 00:56:05.5 | Male 50-59 |
34. | 2 | Ryan Corrigan | 03:01:20.3 | 00:56:47.5 | Female 18-29 |
35. | 222 | Team Tri Fan Juan | 03:01:24.4 | 00:56:51.6 | MALE TEAM |
36. | 220 | Team Just To Try | 03:03:39.9 | 00:59:07.1 | MALE TEAM |
37. | 210 | Team Team Stephanie | 03:03:53.7 | 00:59:20.9 | CO-ED TEAM |
38. | 203 | Team Gym Class Heroes | 03:05:20.0 | 01:00:47.2 | CO-ED TEAM |
39. | 211 | Team Tri Fan… Again | 03:08:03.2 | 01:03:30.4 | CO-ED TEAM |
40. | 17 | Mo-Ping Tham | 03:09:51.8 | 01:05:19.0 | Female 40-49 |
41. | 207 | Team Splash Flash Dash 1 | 03:10:45.1 | 01:06:12.3 | CO-ED TEAM |
42. | 223 | Team Tri Fan Too | 03:11:04.8 | 01:06:32.0 | MALE TEAM |
43. | 12 | Ann Marie Gawel | 03:11:13.4 | 01:06:40.6 | Female 30-39 |
44. | 33 | Allen Kim | 03:11:36.3 | 01:07:03.5 | Male 40-49 |
45. | 212 | Team Last Hoorah | 03:12:49.7 | 01:08:16.9 | FEMALE TEAM |
46. | 14 | Noelani Yano | 03:13:17.3 | 01:08:44.5 | Female 40-49 |
47. | 213 | Team Tresbonitas2tri | 03:15:02.2 | 01:10:29.4 | FEMALE TEAM |
48. | 11 | Lani Sablan | 03:15:49.5 | 01:11:16.7 | Female 30-39 |
49. | 202 | Team Fun And Fitness | 03:16:47.8 | 01:12:15.0 | CO-ED TEAM |
50. | 19 | Michelle Santos | 03:17:56.1 | 01:13:23.3 | Female 50-59 |
51. | 206 | Team Lets Tri | 03:18:51.1 | 01:14:18.3 | CO-ED TEAM |
52. | 205 | Team Ka-Chow! | 03:21:05.6 | 01:16:32.8 | CO-ED TEAM |
53. | 43 | Tom Higa | 03:22:06.4 | 01:17:33.6 | Male 60+ |
54. | 201 | Team Fn T&a | 03:22:17.7 | 01:17:44.9 | CO-ED TEAM |
55. | 45 | Bobby Brown | 03:23:41.9 | 01:19:09.1 | Male 18-29 |
56. | 7 | Christina Kidd | 03:23:46.0 | 01:19:13.2 | Female 30-39 |
57. | 208 | Team Splash, Flash, Dash 2 | 03:23:57.2 | 01:19:24.4 | CO-ED TEAM |
58. | 18 | Stephanie Jones | 03:26:44.3 | 01:22:11.5 | Female 50-59 |
59. | 34 | Robert Lopez | 03:27:26.2 | 01:22:53.4 | Male 40-49 |
60. | 218 | Team Die Tri-Ing | 03:28:51.2 | 01:24:18.4 | MALE TEAM |
61. | 16 | Lisa Jones | 03:30:25.4 | 01:25:52.6 | Female 40-49 |
62. | 214 | Team Tri Again | 03:33:30.5 | 01:28:57.7 | FEMALE TEAM |
63. | 4 | Nicole Cruz | 03:37:48.6 | 01:33:15.8 | Female 18-29 |
64. | 37 | Jesse Tainatongo | 03:45:18.4 | 01:40:45.6 | Male 40-49 |
65. | 21 | Kevin Tainatongo | 03:45:25.5 | 01:40:52.7 | Male 18-29 |
66. | 28 | Josh Tyquiengco | 03:49:51.1 | 01:45:18.3 | Male 30-39 |
67. | 46 | Caroline Sablan | 03:51:39.6 | 01:47:06.8 | Female 50-59 |
68. | 15 | Melanie Torre | 03:57:19.1 | 01:52:46.3 | Female 40-49 |
69. | 23 | Eric Weil | 04:02:58.9 | 01:58:26.1 | Male 18-29 |


GPS Sports Calendar
March 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for February
28th
Events for March
2nd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
Events for March
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
ISA GIRLS SOCCER FINALS
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL FINALS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL FINALS
Events for March
4th
35th RAINBOWS FOR ALL CHILDREN 3.5 MILER
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE FINALS
Events for March
5th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 3
Events for March
5th
Events for March
6th
Events for March
7th
Events for March
9th
Events for March
11th
GSPN PRESEASON BOYS VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT DAY 1
Bank of Guam Block Party 5K
Events for March
12th
Events for March
13th
Events for March
14th
Events for March
15th
Events for March
17th
World Athletics Indoor Championships
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for March
18th
PAY-LESS KICK THE FAT 5K/10K
World Athletics Indoor Championships
Events for March
19th
Events for March
21st
Events for March
25th
MARIANAS OPEN PRO JAPAN TOURNAMENT
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for March
26th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 4
Events for March
28th
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for March
30th
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Events for March
31st
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Jiu-Jitsu
ATOS BRINGS BACK 44 MEDALS FROM JAPAN

Volleyball
TIYAN DROPS SET FOR FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS

MMA/Boxing
BENAVENTE BRINGS RARE SKILL TO FIGHT GAME

MMA/Boxing
BENAVENTE BRINGS RARE SKILL TO FIGHT GAME

Volleyball
EAGLES HOLD OFF WARRIORS IN 5 SETS

Jiu-Jitsu
MARIANAS OPEN TO TAKE OVER TOKYO
COMING SOON …
- 4th Quarter Sports
QUICK HITS
——————————————
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.