Regine Tugade-Watson tunes up for Olympics
The Guam Track and Field Association sponsored an open meet Saturday at the Okkodo High School track, partly to get its athletes back together after a long lockdown on sports, partly to celebrate and help prepare its representative to the Tokyo Olympics.
Longtime sprint queen Regine Tugade-Watson, the fastest woman on Guam, is here for her transition from Navy officer to Olympic runner. Tugade-Watson will represent Guam for her second straight Summer Games and run the 100m July 30.
Derek Mandell, Guam Track and Field Association president, had been in contact with Tugade-Watson and learned she’d be on Guam for just a week before leaving to race in Japan.
“She wanted to have some sort of simulation, where she’d hear the starting gun, go through the warm-up process, and just get into the zone again as she prepares herself for her race July 30,” said Mandell. “That was the reasoning behind it, but it’s also good to have as many track meets as possible, to grow the sport and to show that track’s a year-round sport if you can make it.”
Getting reps in
About 30 people showed up to compete after just two days of advertising on social media, said Mandell, and said it was nice to see competitors who weren’t always top finishers come out because they love the sport.
Although all races were hand-timed, everything else was authentic. Tugade-Watson ran her 100m sprint in a co-ed heat and clocked a 12.50 time, behind collegiate sprinter Joseph Green.
“I was mainly concerned about competing and getting some reps in and some sets in. That was the biggest thing for me because it’s been so long since I’ve had a competitive atmosphere, and since I’ve competed, period,” said Tugade-Watson. “So being out there to get some starts, and to race, was really the big thing.”
On a lark
On a lark, she joined the shot put with her sisters and, for once, finished behind them in an event. Richelle Tugade threw 7.2 meters and Riza Tugade threw 7.1 meters. Tugade-Watson was only slightly behind them with her best throw of 7.01 meters, good for fourth place overall.
Everyone watched in awe as Team Guam implements specialist Genie Gerardo had her worst throw clear the next-best by a car length. Her best throw was 10.72 meters.
A big help
Tugade-Watson said she was overjoyed at the turnout and said it definitely helped her. She loved being surrounded by her family and closest friends and teammates.
“I was able to get what I needed out of a competitive race. I needed to focus on the start, which is getting off the blocks. The first 20 to 30 meters is crucial for me to work on, because that’s the part I’ve been lacking for the past couple of months, with restrictions on competitions and not being able to get into open meets,” she said.
“I’m really thankful to GTFA for pulling this off, and really thankful for everybody who participated,” said Tugade-Watson.
Off-distances
There were several other events using off-distances.
Derek Mandell finished six seconds ahead of his brother, Desmond Mandell III, in the 600m. Jovan Pineda ran the 60m in 6.40 seconds, while Tugade-Watson finished in 7.1 seconds.
Other off-events included the 30m. There were a couple races familiar to high school athletes — the 100m and 3,000m. Green and Derek Mandell won those races, respectively.
Busy year
Mandell said after a year of no competitions, 2022 will be busy, with world championships and regional events such as the Micronesian Games and Mini Pacific Games.
This article originally appeared on Pacific Daily News: Regine Tugade-Watson tunes up for Olympics
