The Sports Leigh-Out July 26-Aug 1

Hafa Adai and Tirow sports fans, this is Leigh Gases with this week’s Sports Leigh-Out brought to you by Joeten Motors!

Let’s take a closer look at what our athletes have been up to in off-island competitions and on their home turf—whether it’s on the pitch, mat, courts, fields, track, pools, or the beautiful ocean.

Team Marianas celebrates success in Palau, sets sights on Tahiti

Through rain, sweat, grit, heart, and sheer determination, Team Marianas powered to 31 medals and sixth place out of 23 countries at the 12th Pacific Mini Games in Palau—a performance celebrated Thursday night with an appreciation ceremony honoring athletes, coaches, and supporters at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Team Marianas’ 31 medals, 41 national records reset, and countless personal bests were celebrated with incentives in the ceremony attended by the athletes, coaches, officials, Gov. David M. Apatang, Lt. Gov. Dennis Mendiola, Northern Marianas Sport Association board president Jerry Tan and board members, Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, Rep. Elias Rangamar, the team’s sponsors, and family and friends of the team.

The swim team, led by flag bearer Isaiah Aleksenko stormed the podium on each of their pool event days bagging the most medals for the team at 14—with six gold won by Aleksenko; young wrestler Seth Sablan earned a gold in his division; and athletics’ standouts Tania Tan ran her way to two gold medals, with another gold by Lyle Andrew.

The silver medals were won by wrestler Vincent “Beng” Palacios; swimmer Maria Batallones (2); wrestler Miles Borja; swimmer Kean Pajarillaga; 4x200m freestyle swim team; weightlifter Joey Colisao; and beach volleyball duo of Logan Mister and Andrew Johnson.

The bronze medals came from the women’s 3x3 basketball team; the baseball team; Tan; Colisao; the 4x100m medley relay swim team; weightlifter Leowell Cristobal (2); Palacios; Pajarillaga; Sablan; the 4x100m freestyle relay swim team; and Batallones.

Before the presentation of the incentives, athletes from each sport went up to share some of their experiences and give thanks for the support of the team. They were Simon Tang of athletics, Marlene Lumabi, coach of the women’s 3x3 basketball team, Francisco Lieto of baseball, Britney Gopez of fastpitch softball, Aleksenko of swimming, Colin Ramsey of triathlon, Jasmine John of volleyball, Caleb Sablan of va’a, Jason Limes of weightlifting, and Lincoln Manibusan of wrestling.

Shawn Fleming flexes way to big wins in Guam bodybuilding comp

After claiming the overall title in bodybuilding and classic physique categories during the Saipan’s 2025 Dee Clayton Classic and Northern Marianas Bodybuilding Federation in June, Shawn Fleming won big in Guam during the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation Guam Classic Muscle Showdown 2025 last July 26.

Fleming wowed the crowd and judges with a more defined physique as he won the overall title in Bodybuilding and Classic Physique, then racked up first place finishes in the Bodybuilding Open, Bodybuilding Open Short Category, Classic Physique Open, Bodybuilding First Time, and Bodybuilding Best Poser.

Nat’l records, multiple PRs from swim team in Singapore

Fresh off their strong showing in Palau, NMI’s rising swimmers are making waves once again—this time at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, where they’re breaking national records and setting personal bests in the event that started on July 27.

The national records set were from stellar performances by Maria Batallones in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:17.38 which is also the 17-18 age group record. The youngest in the group, Piper Raho also made a statement as she swam to the 50m backstroke national record with a time of 31.76 seconds.

The team of Batallones, Raho, Miller, and Kouki Watanabe then swam their way to the national record of the 4x100m mixed medley relay with a time of 4:27.88.

As for personal bests, Watanabe recorded a best swim of 1:08.90 in the 100m breaststroke; Miller bagged two personal bests—one in the 50m butterfly with a time of 27.64 seconds, and in the 50m freestyle with a time of 25.28 seconds. Raho also reset her PB in the 200m backstroke with a time of 2:38.43, and in the 100m backstroke with 1:11.72.

The competition ends today.

Falcons fly over Blue Shark, 13-2

The rain held off just long enough for the Falcons and Blue Shark to face off in the continuation of the 2025 Saipan Baseball League on Tuesday night at the Francisco "Tan"Palacios Baseball Field. The Falcons soared high and left the Blue Shark in the water with a 13-2 win, fueled by an explosive 11-run fifth inning.