KENT PULLS LIBERATION DOUBLE WIN

By Shania Bulala

For over 40 years, the Guam Running Club (GRC) has hosted the only One Mile race on Guam. This year, a large crowd came out to not only run the Liberation Day One Mile race but also the 5K—most even running both! Hundreds of runners gathered in Hagatna on Sunday morning to race along Marine Corps Drive with the smell of freshly popped popcorn and barbecue lingering in the air. Parade goers along the route cheered for the runners as they hit the pavement and made their way to the finish line. While the 5K race kicked off at 6 a.m., the One Mile race started at an iconic 7:21 a.m.

Kent Celebrates Double Win
JFK Cross Country and Track and Field Star Hugh Kent celebrated a double win, taking 1st place in both the 5K and One Mile races. He clocked in an official time for the 5K at 16:18 and the One mile at 4:49.

Kent went up against some pretty tough competition, including Derek Mandell, Ryan Matienzo, Kaito Sakaguchi, and Rynier Diramos. “I haven’t raced in a while,” added Kent. “I knew I didn’t want to start off ahead, so I stuck with Ryan and Derek for pretty much the entire way up until the last 800 meters, then I started pushing the pace a little further.” The tough competition pushed Kent to perform to his best, resulting in an impressive double win.

“Every time liberation comes around, I’ve been off island. This is actually my first time participating in the liberation race,” said Kent. “It’s so nice running down an empty Marine Drive and having all these people on the sidelines cheering you on.”

Delgado Finishes 1st
The first female finisher to come in for the One Mile race was Guam Track and Field National Team veteran Noshista Delgado. Like Kent, this was also Delgado’s first time running the Liberation Day race. “I think this race is incredibly special since Guam doesn’t have races like this, and we’re able to also celebrate the meaning of the day,” Delgado said. “My goal for this race was to get under 6:15, and I worked with my coach— Desmond Mandell III, on my execution plan.” Delgado crossed the finish line with an impressive time of 6:12!

Delgado adds, “I absolutely loved this race and the event itself. I appreciate all the people on the side cheering on the runners throughout the entire race. Unlike 5K’s, it’s just a clear road, but this race was especially nice because of all the spectators.”

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