Nov 27, 2023
Monday, November 27, 2023 – 17 Pacific Games, Honiara, Solomon Islands
It was an exciting start for Team Guam on the Track as all our athletes did well in their respective events.
Team Guam’s Hugh Kent finished the 10k race where he started. Kent held his ground during the first three laps with the lead pack in second place behind Fiji’s Yeshnil Karan, but fell to the middle of the 12 men race as they jockeyed for position throughout the 25 laps around the track. Kent dropped further back midway through in 10th place as three of Papua New Guinea runners began their strategic maneuver to open distance between fourth and fifth trying to keep up with the Karan. As Karan continued to lap the runners one by one, the seventeen-year-old Senior at John F. Kennedy High School, Kent’s pace picked up momentum, moving up to a steady fifth place. With four laps to go, Karan lapped Kent. In the process, Kent used Karan’s blistering pace to mount his attack, picking off the PNG runners one by one behind Karan, until the last lap to take the silver medal on a 33:48.60 pace as he set a personal best. Kent inadvertently ran an extra lap with the confusion at the finish line, at an even faster pace as the crowd cheered on the youngest athlete in event.
Kent’s silver improves Guam’s medal count to four gold medals, four silver medals, and two bronze medals.
Gwenizah-Yvonne Barcinas and Hazel Wilson qualified for the Women 400-meter Hurdles finals set for Friday as well as Jeofry Limtiaco. In the women’s 100-meter heats, all three athletes entered moved on to the semi-final round. Regine Tugade-Watson took pole position in both the preliminary heat 5 and semi-final heat 2 to advance to the finals which will be held on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. Erica Palisoc also qualified for the semi-final round where she finished in a tie for 16th place.
Across the stadium, 3rdseed Camden Camacho outpaced 9th seed Tahitian Antoine Volsin 6-3, 6-0 to advance to the singles event final four round. Gibson dropped her match against 2nd seed Annerly Gregorpaulous of Samoa 1-6, 4-6 in the round of 8 of the women's singles competition.
the tournament top seeded doubles, Guam’s Camacho and Danny Llarenas defeated Tahiti to move onto the semifinals 6-2, 7-6 (7-2). Unfortunately, for the women, Fremont Gibson and Sydney Packbier dropped their elite 8 round match to Samoa in straight sets 3-6, 4-6 ending their run at a medal.
Va’a took to the choppy waters at DC Park for the V1 competition.
Action continues for Guam on Tuesday with more track competition including the finals of the Women’s 100meter, Tennis doubles final four, Taekwondo and Va’a.