Northern Mariana Islands quickly off the blocks
Northern Marianas were off the blocks quickly on the opening day of the swimming competition, with two gold medals, two bronze medals, five individual National Records, and two relay records. A phenomenal start for the Pacific island nation.
Isaiah Roger Aleksenko delivered two stellar performances in the 50m Backstroke and 100m Individual Medley, taking gold in both events. His win in the Individual Medley was particularly remarkable, stepping in at the last minute and breaking the National Record.
“You know, 100 IM is not really my specialty. I’ve never really done the 100 IM. I’m not an IM-er, but one of my teammates scratched out of it, so I had to do it. But I’m very proud to represent NMI once again.”
The success didn’t stop there. Northern Marianas also celebrated two bronze medals; one in the 200m Breaststroke and another in the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay.
Despite battling nerves ahead of her race, 2024 NMSA Student Athlete of the Year Maria Corazon Ayson Batallones powered through to claim bronze in the 200m Breaststroke. The 17-year-old spoke candidly about her trust in her training and teammates.
“During my race… honestly I was very unsure but I didn’t want to doubt my training and everyone’s hard work. I was really scared before I went on the block and I tried to just use what I know and the last 50 I really pulled through.”
True to the Pacific spirit, Aleksenko expressed heartfelt appreciation for the host nation Palau.
“I’m very happy to come back to Palau because I think it’s the best place to host the Pacific Games because it’s actually really beautiful and the people here are very nice, I love it here, it’s amazing.The atmosphere is amazing because everyone here is supportive and I really like the environment that Palau has given us. Thank you so much.”
Words & interviews: The Reporters’ Academy. Photos: Ryota Nishida