The 2022 Oceania Athletics Cross Country Championships were held in Mangilao, Guam this morning. The second time that Guam has hosted the Championships. With conditions a little wet under foot, due to strong rainfall the evening prior a large number of runners started the race.
In the Women’s Championships, it was all Ongan Awa from Papua New Guinea. Awa, who finished 3rd over 5000m at the Area Championships in Mackay in the middle of the year, showed class to run through strongly and take victory, and qualification for Bathurst in February. Denise Meyers, from neighbouring Northern Marianas, finished in second and local Ayuri Sugahara finished in third to round out the podium in the Women’s race.
In the Men’s race, Guam showed the capabilities of their long distance runners. The host country, has a long and proud history in long distance running, both on the roads and cross country. Ryan Matienzo took the Oceania Title, with a strong race, running away from the field over the later half. Matienzo, who is a triathlete as well, will be looking to focus over the next few months on his running, as an automatic spot for the World Cross Country in Bathurst is his. Guam team mates Arthur Toves and Derek Mandell rounded a clean sweap for the home federation in the Mens Race.
A large number of local runners ran over 6km for the U20 Championships with Jordan Baden, taking the Womens U20 and Hugh Kent the Mens U20 Championships
Full Results can be found here
