The Sports Leigh-Out May 30-June 5, 2026

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

As our community continues to rebuild stronger together, here’s the latest from the sports world.

Colin Sinclair in Guam for King’s Guam World Tennis Tour

After posting a championship win in the M15 Karuizawa Men’s Double with partner Jesse Delaney on Saturday, May 30, Sinclair is back at it in Guam for the M15 King’s Guam World Tennis Tour.

In the singles first round on Wednesday, June 3, he won in two straight sets, 6-3, 7-6, then 6-2, 6-4 in the second round on Thursday, June 4. In the doubles division, he teamed up with Francis Alcantara and won the first round, 6-1, 6-4, but fell in the second round, 6-1, 7-5, 10-4.

After this tour, he’s going back to Japan for another tournament.

Stay tuned for the results of the rest of his matches.

Coach Eli receives OAA Merit Award

As Team CNMI racked up medals, records, and personal bests in Darwin, Australia during the Oceania Athletics Championships 2026, long-time CNMI athletics coach and developmental officer Elias Rangamar was also honored with the Oceania Athletics Association Merit Award.

His daughter and Team CNMI manager Liamwar Rangamar received the award in his honor. Coach Elias has dedicated more than three decades to the sport and community and has played a central role in building athletics participation and opportunities for the youth. 

The award is one of OAA’s highest honors, presented to individuals who have made an exceptional and lasting contribution to athletics.

Receiving the award with Coach Elias are two others—Diane Lowden of Australia and Raylene Bates of New Zealand.

Women’s team in Guam for EAFF tourney

For the first time since Super Typhoon Sinlaku, the NMI Football Association is sending a team to compete off-island, with the NMI Women’s National Team set to travel to neighboring Guam for the Women’s EAFF E-1 Football Championship Preliminary Competition 2026.

During a sendoff ceremony on Saturday, May 30, at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan lobby, the NMI Football Association announced the team roster and competition schedule shortly after honoring its Class of 2026 graduates.

The NMI is in Group B alongside Chinese Taipei, with the two teams facing off twice—first last night, Friday, June 5, and again on Sunday, June 7, at 2:30pm at the Guam Football Association Soccer Training Center.

The roster consists of Mia Abuan, Christina Atalig, Joselynn Atalig, Hailey Benavente, Alyssa Borlongan, Jannah Casarino, Jerlyn Castillo, Aubrey Castro, Kaithlyn Chavez, Julie Chavez, Orica George, Bernadette Horey, Khristelle Itaas, Summer Manahane, Deseha Mendiola, Dianne Pablo, Sophia Quintos, Gabrielle Race, Rizza Relucio, and Aubrey White.

Traveling with the team are head of delegation Luam Khen Koo, head coach Chi Min Tang, assistant coach Ronnel Ocanada, goalkeeper coach Kwok Poon, team manager Janelle Pangilinan, assistant team manager Yu Hung Lee, team media officer Renedel Buno, and team doctor Allen Rara.

Stay tuned for results and the full story of the tourney.

Youth celebrate Kids Athletics Day

Northern Marianas Athletics is back on track after Super Typhoon Sinlaku with a delayed celebration of Kids Athletics Day on Saturday, May 30.

Kids Athletics Day is celebrated globally on May 7, but due to the typhoon, it was celebrated later in the CNMI. Even with that, kids came out for a morning of fun and movement at the Oleai Sports Complex track and field.

KAD coordinator and NMA General Secretary Robin Sapong said that the turnout was “encouraging, with strong participation from children, parents, coaches, volunteers, and the wider community coming together to celebrate Kids Athletics Day. The enthusiasm and engagement throughout the activities reflected the growing interest in athletics and active lifestyles.”

This year, members of the national team, including athletes who recently competed in Darwin, Australia, at the 2026 Oceania Athletics Championships, took the lead in the activities. Sapong said that was the highlight, as they engaged with the youth and inspired the next generation through their example.

“The event was successful in creating a positive environment where children could learn, play, and experience the joy of athletics,” said Sapong.

On the importance of hosting this event, especially during this time, Sapong said, “Holding this event was especially important as it provided an opportunity to bring the community together, promote healthy and active lifestyles, and reinforce resilience following the impacts of Typhoon Sinlaku. Having national team athletes give back and connect with younger participants further highlighted the important role sport plays in inspiring youth, supporting recovery, well-being, and strengthening community spirit.”

NMA’s Denise Myers, for her part, said that it was a success despite the delayed celebration.

“We didn’t hold our event on the 7th because of the aftermath of Sinlaku, but the spirit of the day is really about getting kids moving no matter the circumstances. Our circumstances aren’t easy right now, which makes something like this even more important. It is beautiful to see kids out enjoying movement. So for me, it was a success!”

Goals, trophies, and cake highlight 10th President's Cup

Over 320 players ranging in age from 8 to 17 competed and celebrated NMI Football Association president Jerry Tan and his twin brother Raymond's birthday during the 10th Annual President's Cup Futsal Tournament at the TSL Sports Complex, held over four days from May 26-29.

The championship matches kicked off on the final day on Friday before everyone gathered to sing "Happy Birthday" and enjoy cake. MP United claimed the U8 division title, while Matansa finished second and Latte placed third. Meanwhile, Saipan Soccer School 1 won the U10 championship, with Kanoa 1 taking second and Paire finishing third. In the U14 division, Matansa captured the title, followed by Paire 2 in second and Latte 1 in third.

Kanoa 1 then captured the U12 and U17 division crowns. In U12, Latte 1 finished second and Matansa took third. In the U17 division, Kanoa 2 placed second and Paire 2 finished third.

Golden Boot honors went to Koiwachi Castro, Erzaleah Such, and Paloma Blue in the U8 girls division with one goal each, while Ched Asuncion led the U8 boys with 20 goals. In the U10 division, Kira George earned the girls award with five goals, while Francis Cabusora and Kevin Canolo shared the boys honor with five goals apiece. Darshwana Chhetri won the U12 girls Golden Boot with two goals, while Liam Palacios topped the U12 boys with five goals.

In the older divisions, Amica Hornilla, Baylynn Mansfield, and Lovel Spaeth shared the U14 girls Golden Boot award with one goal each, while Lashawn Ada led the U14 boys with 10 goals. Iris Rasa claimed the U17 girls Golden Boot with three goals, and Napu Pangelinan and Izaiah Tenorio shared the U17 boys honor after scoring eight goals each.

Lyle, Tania dominate in Guam National Champs

It was a successful time on the track and field down south for CNMI’s Tania Tan and Lyle Andrew as they bagged four gold medals in their respective events during the 2026 Guam Track & Field National Championships on Saturday, May 30.

Just after a stint in the 2026 Oceania Athletics Championships in Darwin, Australia, Tan flew to Guam and competed in both the women's open 1,500m and 5,000m races, where she claimed gold in both events. 

She won the 1,500m in 5:07.98, ahead of Keira Paz (5:32.51) and Ava Steele (5:52.50). Then, in the 5,000m, she clocked in first at 19:32.77, with Paz finishing second in 21:59.41 and Alexa Anderson taking third in 27:43.65.

With competing in the region once again, she said, "I just look forward to having fun.” She was in Guam to support her boyfriend who competed in a tennis tournament and decided to support Guam athletics.

As for Andrew, he dominated the men's throwing events, earning gold medals in both the shot put and discus.

He won the shot put with a throw of 10.49m, narrowly edging Kaden Guerrero's 10.30m effort, while Jhavin Maniebo placed third with 9.69m.

The competition was just as close in the discus, where Andrew again held off Guerrero, winning with a throw of 38.58m compared to Guerrero's 38.12m. Victor Babauta III finished third with 29.71m.

International badminton returns for 4th straight summer

It’s going to be another badminton-filled summer as despite ongoing recovery from Super Typhoon Sinlaku, Saipan will still host three international badminton tournaments for the fourth year in a row.

The Northern Marianas Badminton Association and Badminton Oceania confirmed that the YONEX Northern Marianas Open 2026, CROWNE PLAZA Saipan International 2026, and CROWNE PLAZA Oceania Masters in Paradise 2026 will take place in July and August at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium as originally scheduled.

The YONEX Northern Marianas Open runs from July 14-19, followed by the CROWNE PLAZA Saipan International from July 21-25, and the CROWNE PLAZA Oceania Masters in Paradise from July 29 to Aug. 4.

The tournaments mark the fourth straight year Saipan has hosted international badminton competitions, with players from more than 10 countries expected to take part. Entries continue to come in for the two Grade Three events, which offer BWF World Ranking points.

While preparations are now moving forward, NMBA president Merlie Tolentino said there was a time when hosting this year’s tournaments seemed unlikely.

She told Marianas Press, "While we are still in the middle of typhoon recovery, we honestly did not expect that we would still be able to host this year because of the many challenges we faced. Ada Gym was occupied and being used as a temporary shelter after the typhoon, and fortunately it was vacated at the end of May, which allowed us to move forward with preparations."

When asked about community excitement for the tournament’s return, she said, "This year marks our 4th year hosting the tournament, and seeing all the entries and players from different parts of the world signing up makes us very proud and happy. NMBA is excited to once again bring not only great badminton competition, but also excitement to the island and the opportunity to welcome tourists back to Saipan."

Gold’s Gym Saipan celebrates monumental community health milestones at 2026 Transformation Challenge Awards Banquet

Gold's Gym Saipan has officially concluded its highly anticipated 2026 12-Week Transformation Challenge with its annual Awards Banquet, honoring dozens of local residents who collectively dropped hundreds of pounds, gained muscle, and took control of their health. Over the course of the 12-week journey, which kicked off in mid-January, 65 challengers embarked on a rigorous fitness regime. A stellar 69% of participants—45 dedicated individuals—fully completed the adventure.

The physical milestones achieved across the board were staggering. Combined, the finishing challengers lost a total of 155 inches around their waists—a measurement equivalent to the length of a traditional island outrigger canoe. On average, each finisher shed 12.3 pounds, culminating in a grand total of 552.3 pounds lost across the program. To put that into perspective, that is the weight of roughly 110 giant king coconuts freshly harvested off a tree.

“This isn't about chasing a number on a scale; it’s about reshaping your body by building lean muscle, dropping body fat, and reclaiming your health,” said Tyce Mister, General Manager of Gold's Gym Saipan. “I’m always reminded of a favorite quote by Jim Rohn: ‘The real value of setting goals is not the recognition or reward, it’s the person we become by finding the discipline, courage, and commitment to achieve them.’ That is exactly what this 12-week challenge is about. Our 45 finishers didn’t just change their bodies—they established lifelong habits that will positively influence their families, inspire their loved ones, and build a healthier, stronger community across our island.”

The event handed out over $6,000 worth of cash and prizes to category leaders. Crowning the evening were the two Overall Winners, who each received a grand prize of $1,000 cash and a 1-year free membership to Gold’s Gym Saipan:

• Overall Women’s Champion: Maxine Lopez, who lost an estimated 48 pounds of body fat, dropped 14 inches off her waist (going from 40" down to a lean 26"), and flawlessly maintained her muscle mass.

• Overall Men’s Champion: James Dela Cruz, who achieved a dramatic physical transformation by dropping an estimated 9% total body fat while defining his baseline muscle mass.

The backbone of this year’s historic challenge was the rigorous backend management, photo documentation, and tracking of fitness data led by Chris Aninzo.

“The most rewarding part of tracking these 65 individuals up close was watching participants build healthier habits and truly learn to believe in themselves again,” said Aninzo, the driving force behind the challenge's operations and measurements. When asked what advice he would give to future local challengers looking to replicate the massive success of Maxine and James, Aninzo kept it powerful and direct: “Show up for yourself.”

Led by Chris Aninzo, the entire Gold’s Gym Saipan team poured their hearts into making this journey a success,” added Mister. “From day one, our personal trainers, welcome desk staff, group exercise instructors, media specialist, accountant, and cleaning and maintenance crew rallied together to recruit our 65 brave challengers. When we announced this year's theme, our staff and our members had one unified response: ‘Challenge Accepted!’ This monumental achievement belongs to our entire community.

The 2026 Transformation Challenge was made possible through the generous support and partnership of local community sponsors, including: Michelob Ultra, Lucky Energy, PHI Pharmacy, Brabu Pharmacy & Wellness Center, TurnKey Solutions, MegaByte, the Northern Marianas Bodybuilding Federation, and Paradise Dental Spa.

For more information on the Challenge, membership options, or personal training, please visit Gold’s Gym Saipan next to Sugar King Park or call (670) 233-4000. (PR)