BAUTISTA WINS 3RD STRAIGHT, JONES DOMINATES DEBUT

By Shania Bulala

GSPN’s 4th Annual I Mås Metgot: Guam’s Strongest Competition drew a crowd at the Ypao Beach Park in Tumon, where spectators gathered to witness the incredible power and endurance of Guam’s strongest men and women. Elton Bautista cemented his legacy as Guam’s strongest man by claiming his third consecutive title. Meanwhile, first-time competitor Janelle Jones made a stunning debut, delivering a dominant performance to secure the overall victory in the women’s division.

Other athletes in the men’s division included Joshua Cantara, Daniel Ramos, and Ariel Delos Reyes, while the women’s competition featured Tanya Gillins, Jacinta Sumagaysay, and Nissi Lujan.
Competitors pushed their limits across six events: the Michelob Ultra Keg Press, Community First Circle Walk, Pacific Tyre/CTD Tire Flip, Ready H2GO Water Lift, Pacific Unlimited Chain Hold, and the Triple J Ford Truck Pull.

ALL PHOTOS BY Dj FOSTER

Michelob Ultra Keg Press

The first event of the day was the Michelob Ultra Keg Press. Athletes tested their upper body strength and stamina by lifting a keg overhead repeatedly within a two-minute timeframe. Competitors had to lock out their elbows fully for each rep to count. The woman had to lift a 75-pound keg, while the men had to lift 100 pounds. It was an intense start, with each athlete trying to get the most reps without letting fatigue set in.

Women’s Division: First-time competitor Nissy Lujan, only 17 years old, opened up the event with four solid reps. Guam National Olympic lifter Jacinta Sumagaysay followed Lujan, demonstrating impressive strength with 19 reps. Tanya “Traps” Gillins confidently pushed through an incredible 27 reps. Lastly, Janelle Jones set out an early lead, winning the first event with an impressive 34 reps.

Men’s Division: In his I Mås Metgot debut, Josh Cantara showcased a strategic approach, pushing through 25 reps. Followed by Daniel Ramos, who utilized every second and completed 26 reps to edge out Cantara. Ariel Delos Reyes performed a solid 22 reps, but it was defending champion Elton Bautista who captivated the crowd, completing 28 reps with efficiency and power. Bautista’s win in the Michelob Ultra Keg Press secured him the first five points in his journey to defend his title.

Community First Circle Walk

The Community First Circle Walk tested each athlete’s stamina, balance, and grip. Competitors had to lift an already weighted bar with plates as they walked around in a circle, trying to complete as many rotations within two minutes. For the women, the bar was loaded with two additional 35-pound plates, and the men’s bar had an additional four 45-pound plates. This event was as much a mental challenge as it was physical, with competitors needing to maintain an unbroken pace while managing the strain.

Women’s Division : Lujan completed 7 ⅓ laps, taking third place in the event, while Sumagaysay completed 8 ¼ laps, securing second. Gillins completed a total of 6 ½ laps, finally
Janelle Jones, with a fast and steady pace that brought her to a total of 9 laps, winning the event and earning her vital points toward the overall lead.

Men’s Division: Newcomer Josh Cantara’s strategy paid off as he completed 8 ⅚ laps, demonstrating speed with stamina to clinch first place in the event. Bautista maintained his momentum, completing 8 full laps with a second place finish. Delos Reyes pushed hard to finish with 7 laps, and Ramos finished with 5 laps.

The Pacific Tyre/CTD Tire Flip

The Pacific Tyre/CTD Tire Flip is one of the most highly anticipated events of the competition, drawing cheers from the crowd as athletes demonstrated their explosive strength. This event required competitors to flip a massive tire down a 75-foot line , with the goal of completing as quickly as possible. The men’s tire weighed well over 600 pounds, while the women’s tire weighed almost 500 pounds. The athletes had to summon every ounce of power and technique to maneuver the heavy tires, making it a true test of both strength and endurance.

Women’s Division: Lujan completed the Pacific Tyre/CTD tire flip in a solid 40.37 seconds. Sumagaysay followed closely behind with a time of 43.94 seconds. Jones tried to quickly accelerate from the start, finishing in 33.97 seconds, but it was Gillins who outpaced the competition with an impressive 33.68-second flip, securing first place in this challenging event.

Men’s Division: Cantara was the first to tackle the tire flip for the men’s division, finishing with a time of 45.28 seconds. Ramos followed with 1:38, and Delos Reyes completed the flip in 59.57 seconds. However, it was 3-time champion Bautista who dominated this event, finishing with an outstanding time of 34.90 seconds. Each competitor displayed remarkable strength and endurance, making the tire flip one of the most thrilling and competitive events of the day.

Ready H2GO Water Lift

In the deadlift event, competitors were tasked with lifting a pallet loaded with 5-gallon water jugs. Each filled 5-gallon container weighed approximately 42 pounds. Women had to lift a total of 16 filled containers, while men were required to lift 20. Athletes had two minutes to complete as many reps as possible, pushing their back, quads, and core strength to the limit while maintaining proper form throughout. The event tested not only raw power but also endurance and technique, as competitors raced against the clock to maximize their reps.

Women’s Division : Lujan proved to the crowd that she was fighting for every rep. The 17-year-old completed an impressive 27 reps. Jones followed with 23 reps, showing her consistency in strength. Gillins managed to push out 13 reps, while Sumagaysay lifted fast and heavy to reach a total of 30 reps, winning this event.

Men’s Division : Ramos managed a solid 37 reps, but Delos Reyes astounded the crowd with 60 reps, setting the bar high. Cantara finished with 52 reps; however, Bautista continued his winning streak, outdoing Delos Reyes with 62 before falling to the ground in exhaustion.

Pacific Unlimited Chain Hold

The Chain Hold tested the competitors’ endurance, shoulder strength, and core stability, demanding both physical strength and mental resilience. Athletes stood on an elevated platform, holding weighted chains with their elbows locked out and must remain above the shoulders. The stainless steel chains weighed 11 pounds for women and 15 pounds for men, adding significant strain to the upper body. Competitors had to maintain this position for as long as possible, engaging their shoulders, arms, and core muscles to keep their elbows from dropping. Once their arms fell below shoulder level, the referee blew his whistle, signaling the end of the hold.

Women’s Division: Lujan opened with a respectable time of 24.34 seconds, while Sumagaysay set the bar with 1:08.64. Tanya Gillins followed with a strong 1:00.5, but Jones stole the show, maintaining her hold for 1:14.59 to secure another event win.

Men’s Division: Ramos established an impressive time of 1:26, and his adjustment of wrist positioning seemed to be the strategy, as he took 1st place in the Pacific Unlimited Chain Hold. Cantara followed closely at 1:23.07, while Delos Reyes held on for about 57 seconds. Bautista completed his hold in 1:10. Though he didn’t take the top spot in this event, Bautista remained strong in the overall scoring.

Triple J Ford Truck Pull

The final event of the competition was the Triple J Ford Truck Pull, a true test of strength. Female competitors had to pull a Ford F150 truck for 100 feet while the men pulled a F250, with the time officially ending when the front bumper crossed the finish line. This event required not only strength but also balance and endurance as each athlete raced against the clock. The crowd cheered as the competitors fought through the heavy load, making this thrilling finale a fitting conclusion to an intense day of fun competition.

Women’s Division: Lujan managed to pull the F150 in 43.03 seconds. Gillins powered through with a time of 29.5 seconds, while Sumagaysay completed her pull in 34 seconds. Jones, however, delivered yet another stunning performance, pulling the truck in just 26 seconds! Clinching her overall victory as the strongest woman in this year’s competition.

Men’s Division: Bautista capped off his run with a powerful 30.81-second pull, sealing his title as the three-time reigning champion. Delos Reyes followed with a 37-second pull, while Cantara finished in 44.25 seconds, each athlete giving their all in this epic final event.

The 4th Annual I Mas Metgot: Guam’s Strongest Competition once again proved why it’s one of the island’s most eagerly anticipated events. With impressive performances across all divisions, both veterans and newcomers showcased the true spirit of strength, perseverance, and sportsmanship that defines Guam’s athletic community.

Elton Bautista solidified his legacy as Guam’s strongest man, defending his title with poise and power. Having claimed the men’s title since 2022, Bautista’s victory this year marks the culmination of years of dedication.

“I feel great. This has been a long journey for me. I appreciate all the hard work that goes into training and planning for this event,” said Bautista after his win. Despite his dominance in the competition, Bautista acknowledged the rising talent in this year’s field. “The new faces definitely kept me on my toes. This will be my last competition. I want to give others the opportunity to claim the title as Guam’s strongest man,” Bautista shared, marking the end of an era in his strongman career.

On the women’s side, Janelle Jones made an unforgettable debut, claiming the women’s title in dominant fashion.

“I feel good about my performance and what I have accomplished today. This is my first year competing, and I feel super inspired to keep this going and keep inspiring others,” Jones said, reflecting on her extraordinary debut.

In the months leading up to the event, Jones dedicated herself to training specifically for each event, using local strongman equipment to perfect her technique. “I started doing a series of strength cycles at the beginning of the year, but these last two months, I focused on specific movements. I was able to go to Bagzik and use their strongman equipment to work on my tire flips and as much as possible mimic the movements of the competition,” Jones explained, highlighting the focused effort behind her success.

With both Bautista and Jones setting a high bar for future competitors, this year’s I Mås Metgot competition stands as a testament to the dedication, talent, and heart of Guam’s strongest athletes.

Full Results:
Michelob Ultra Keg Press
Females
Janelle Jones: 34 reps
Tanya Gillins: 27 reps
Jacinta Sumagaysay: 19 reps
Nissi Lujan: 4 reps

Males
Elton Bautista: 28 reps
Daniel Ramos: 26 reps
Josh Cantara: 25 reps
Ariel Delos Reyes: 22 reps

Community First Circle Walk
Females
Janelle Jones: 9 laps
Jacinta Sumagaysay: 8 ¼ laps
Nissi Lujan: 7 ⅓ laps

Tanya Gillins: 6 ½ laps

Males
Josh Cantara: 8 ⅚ laps
Elton Bautista: 8 laps
Ariel Delos Reyes: 7 laps
Daniel Ramos: 5 laps

The Pacific Tyre/CTD Tire Flip
Females
Tanya Gillins: 33.68
Janelle Jones: 33.97
Nissi Lujan: 40.37
Jacinta Sumagaysay: 43.97

Males
Elton Bautista: 34.90
Josh Cantara: 45.28
Ariel Delos Reyes: 59.57
Daniel Ramos: 1:38.87
Ready H2GO Water Lift
Females
Jacinta Sumagaysay: 30 reps
Nissi Lujan: 27 reps
Janelle Jones: 23 reps
Tanya Gillins: 13 reps

Males
Elton Bautista: 62 reps
Ariel Delos Reyes: 60 reps
Josh Cantara: 52 reps
Daniel Ramos: 37 reps
Pacific Unlimited Chain Hold
Females
Janelle Jones: 1:15.59
Jacinta Sumagaysay: 1:08.64
Tanya Gillins: 1:00.50
Nissi Lujan: 24.34
Males
Daniel Ramos: 1:26.84
Josh Cantara: 1:23.75
Elton Bautista: 1:10.85
Ariel Delos Reyes: 51.00

Triple J Ford Truck Pull
Females
Janelle Jones: 26.22
Tanya Gillins: 29.50
Jacinta Sumagaysay: 34.06
Nissi Lujan: 43.03

Males
Elton Bautista: 30.81
Ariel Delos Reyes: 37.95
Daniel Ramos: 41.72
Josh Cantara: 44.25