GTFA HOLDS TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

By Jay Leon Guerrero

Over 60 athletes competed in the 2024 Guam Track and Field Championships on Sunday at the JFK Track. The timing of the Championships was perfect, with the recent completion of the high school season and a pair of overseas events approaching.

Guam Track and Field Association (GTFA) President Desmond Mandell III said the turnout featured a good mix of high school athletes and local standouts to compete on one track. “It was a great tune up for the National Team as they prepare for upcoming events,” said Mandell. “It’s important to get reps as they fine tune their training.”

Guam will be sending athletes to the Oceania Championships next week to Fiji and the Micronesian Games later this summer in Majuro.

“This is all part of the training plan, getting our reps in,” said Guam’s two-time Olympian Regine Tugade-Watson. Tugade said the local championships can be used as a simulation for her and the rest of the team as they make their way to peak when game time comes. Tugade competed in two events, the 100-meter sprint and the long jump, winning both events.

Tugade will be going to both Fiji and Majuro and said the Guam contingent once again has a good mixture of athletes of different ages and experience levels. “We have many young athletes coming from high school and veterans like myself, Jeofry Limtiaco, and Genie Gerardo,” said Tugade. “I just really enjoy being a part of this sport, and I’m ready to do what I can to help the team”.

Limtiaco will be headed to Fiji to compete against high level athletes at the Oceania Championships. Later in the summer, Limtiaco will look to defend his 400-meter Gold medal at the Micronesian Games.

“The excitement right now is even higher than all those years,” said Limtiaco, who cruised to a victory in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 57.93 seconds. Limtiaco, who has been representing Guam in the sport for about a decade, said representing Guam has always been something special and never gets old.

“It’s crazy, because I’ve been doing this for 10-plus years and the fire to compete is still there,” said Limtiaco. Limtiaco has been on a tear after recently achieving a PR time in Manila earlier this month in the 400-meter hurdles. “I ran my all-time best a couple weeks ago and I was taken back by it – not letting that get to my head. So today, I made a goal of running under 58-seconds”.

“Being a veteran, I’m more confident now. Knowing that I don’t I have to worry about myself, it allows me to branch out and help others on the team,” said Limtiaco.

Coming fresh off gold medal performances at the ISA All-Island Track Meet earlier this month, high school standouts took the track to keep in shape for the events this summer. Hugh Kent and Jovan Pineda won their respective events, as well as Aleah Castro, Hazel Wilson, and Taylor-Ann Santos.

“It was a good simulation today because of the humidity and the headwind. We should expect something similar in Majuro,” said Pineda.

Pineda said travelling with the team is going to be special and he looks forward to sharing the experience with other athletes. “The Micro Games were pushed back and it feels good to have that opportunity to race. I went to Pacific Games and it will be fun to share the experience with basketball.”

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