MINGINFEL WINS GOLD IN WEIGHTLIFTING AT PACIFIC MINI GAMES AND FSM ATHETES COMPETE AROUND THE WORLD THIS SUMMER

By Jim Tobin, FSM National Olympic Committee

Federated States of Micronesia athletes competed in numerous sporting events around the world during the summer of 2013, including many world championships, and the Pacific Mini-Games.

At press time (Wednesday, September 2^nd) the FSM National Olympic Committee had just received results of the first day of competition from the 2013 Pacific Mini Games, in Wallis and Futuna.  Manual Minginfel, world famous FSM Olympic weightlifter from Yap, won a gold medal in the 62kg men’s Weightlifting division, for Total Weight by lifting 164kg.  Minginfel also won two silver medals in the Snatch and Clean and Jerk.  Additional first day results were John Howard (Chuuk) ran the 100m (meter) sprint, in track and field, in a time of 11.28 seconds finishing 6^th place in his preliminary heat and 17^th overall of 22 runners; and Marcellus Taman (Yap) finished 4^th place in the 56kg men’s Weightlifting division with 5 lifters competing.  Taman is only 14 years old and has been selected to represent the FSM at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.  At press time, FSM weightlifters - Chase Taylor Libyan (Yap) and Maria Fathangin (Yap) had yet to compete.

The 2013 Pacific Mini-Games are being held in Wallis and Futuna from September 2-12, with 21 Pacific islands competing in 7 sports.  The FSM competed in Weightlifting and Track and Field (Athletics) and sent a small delegation of 5 athletes. The delegation members were Minginfel, as delegation leader (Chef de Mission), Weightlifting coach and competing as an athlete in the 62kg men’s Weightlifting division; John Howard running the 100m and 200m sprints in Track and Field; Marcellus Taman – athlete men’s 56kg men’s Weightlifing division; Chase Taylor Libyan – athlete 85kg men’s Weightlifting division and Maria Fathangin –athlete 69kg women’s Weightlifing division.  The four Yapese weightlifters trained at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute, in New Caledonia, prior to the games, with Minginfel working as a coach at the institute funded by a yearlong International Olympic Committee Coaching Scholarship.  All of the training and games costs including airfare and accommodation in New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna, were funded by the FSM National Olympic Committee and Olympic Solidarity grants.

The 2013 Oceania Track and Field (Athletics) Championships were held in Tahiti from June 2-5, with 21 Pacific islands competing including Australia and New Zealand. A group of 5 FSM runners were coached by Rendy Germinaro and Mihter Wendolin both from Pohnpei. The FSM track athletes were: Terrell Smith and TJ Fiti from Chuuk and Jason Ernest, Xler Rodriquez and Wendolin from Pohnpei.  All competed in the 100m sprint and 4x100m relays, with the FSM finishing 4^th place in the mixed men and women relay.  The group’s airfare and accommodation costs were funded by IAAF and Oceania Athletics Association (OAA) grants.

The 2013 FISU World University Games were held in Kazan, Russia from July 6-16 with over 160 countries participating 22 sports for university students.  Castro Joab, COM-FSM sport and recreation director, was the FSM team manager and coach.  Debra Daniel (Pohnpei), FSM female swimmer, competed in the 100m butterfly, 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle.  Dionisio Augustine (Pohnpei), FSM male swimmer, competed in the 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle.  All costs including airfare and accommodation were funded by a FISU grant.

The 2013 IAAF World Youth Track and Field World Championships were held from July 10-14 in the Donetsk, Ukraine. Brenden Yamase, a Senior at Xavier High School from Pohnpei, competed in the 100m sprint with a time of 12.15 seconds.  His airfare and accommodation costs were funded by an IAAF competition grant.

The 2013 FINA Swimming World Championships were held in Barcelona, Spain from July 19 to August 4.  The FSM swim team, all from Pohnpei, was coached by Sweeter Daniel and Lestly Ashby Mendiola.  The FSM swimmers were: Justine Rodriquez – 50m freestyle (25.00 seconds); Derek Dainard - men’s 50m butterfly (35.88 seconds); Danisha Paul – 50m freestyle (34.29 seconds) and 50m butterfly (38.39 seconds).  Daniel and Mendiola also represented the FSM at the FINA Congress.  All of the costs, including airfare and accommodation, were funded by a FINA competition grant

The 2013 IAAF Track and Field World Championships were held in Moscow, Russia from August 10-17.  Marcellus Akapito (Chuuk) was the FSM manager/coach. McCaffrey Gilmete (Pohnpei) FSM male runner competed in 100m sprint with a time of 11.80 seconds.  Akapito also represented the FSM at the IAAF Congress. All costs including airfare and accommodation were funded by an IAAF grant.

And finally, the 2013 ITF Pacific Oceania Junior Tennis Championships were held in Fiji from August 12-24. Representing the North Pacific region, and from the FSM, were junior tennis athletes Anne Skilling (Kosrae), TJ Apis (Pohnpei), Margarete Finnen (Pohnpei), Joab William (Kosrae) and Tilda Tolenna (Kosrae).  This is the first year the FSM had more the 2 junior tennis players that qualified for the championships. The costs were funded by ITF and FSM National Olympic Committee grants and outstanding local fundraising done by Pohnpei and Kosrae Tennis Clubs, parents and athletes.