2024 ISA TRACK MEET 1

By Jay Leon Guerrero

The 2024 ISA Track and Field season held its opening meet Thursday night at the JFK Track with 6 of 10 schools getting their first taste of competition. 

Participation is on the rise for Track and Field with the numbers growing in the sport with Father Duenas/Notre Dame, George Washington, Guam Adventist Academy, Guam High, Okkodo, and Sanchez gathering in Upper Tumon. 

The defending champions for both girls’ and boys’ divisions are the Guam High Panthers led by coach Joe Taitano. The girls will be going for a fourth title. The boys are looking to make it seven in a row. 

With more athletes coming out for Track this season, the Panthers will have their work cut out for them. 

Last year’s top four:
Boys
1. Guam High
2. JFK Islanders
3. Father Duenas Friars
4. GW Geckos

Girls
1. Guam High Panthers
2. GW Geckos
3. JFK Islanders 
4. Sanchez Sharks

Aaron Johnson, a senior, is looking to make up for last year after he suffered an injury during the all-island meet. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot, but I made up for it on the off-season,” said Johnson.

Last year, Johnson got injured early in the meet and was unable to sweep four golds, forfeiting his 200 meter and 400 meter sprint spots. But this season, he’s on a mission. 

“The goal is to help my team by getting four gold medals in the Long Jump, 100m, 200m, and 400m events. “It’s not going to be easy, but I’m going to do my best,” said Johnson. 

Aleah Castro, a senior, is also eyeing four golds to help the GW Geckos. “My individual goal is to achieve four golds in four events to help my team.”

Castro said the Geckos will have some work to do, but she is confident the team will gradually improve and peak by next month’s all-island meet. “By the time the all-island comes, we want to qualify for as many events. We want to be competitive and have our team up there (in the rankings),” said Castro. 

The Sanchez Sharks want to get back in the rankings as well. The Sharks had five girls win their events and look solid once again. Erica Palisoc, a senior, had a good opening meet with a first place finish in the 100-meter event. “I’m excited for this season. I want to see what other athletes can do and what I can achieve as well. ” 

“For our team, I want us to get back on the podium. Personally, I want to achieve a 100 meter time of 12.9 (at least) and try and to and get under 27 seconds in the 200 meters'” said Castro. 

After finishing in third place last year, the Friars are back with a goal of placing higher as a team than last season. “I’m a senior, and this is my first time participating in Track,” said Donovan Paulino. 

It was a great debut for Paulino. In his lone event, Paulino stepped up and won the shotput with a distance of 10.95 meters. The Friars look strong on the Field with Giovanni Palad winning the Javelin with a distance of 41.88 meters. 

Guam Adventist Academy’s Evan Mendiola won the Discus with a distance of 33.49 meters. Mendiola, a freshman, was the clear winner in the event winning the event by five meters. 

Week 1 continues on Saturday with Academy, JFK, Southern, and Tiyan taking the field. 

Full results are found online at athletic.net

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