Outstanding Results for Kualapu`u Team

Community Contributed

By Sue Forbes-Kikukawa

On Sunday, May 1 the Kualapu`u Running Team competed in their first off-island race, participating in the Honolulu 5K for Kids.  All team members turned in solid performances in their first competition at this level, with top results coming from the Ringor twins – Mary Rose and Mary Grace.  The twins came in second and third in the girls’ 9-10 age group, with times of 30:07 and 30:20, respectively. Other top ten age group performers were Nainoa Kahale, fourth in the boys’ 9-10 age group with a time of 24:09; Noelani Helm, sixth in the girls’ 9-10 age group with a time of 32:46; Raphael Adolpho, seventh in the boy’s 9-10 age group with a personal record of 25:34; and Genevieve Kikukawa, eighth in the girls’ 11-12 division with a personal record of 30:20. Just missing top ten recognition were Kekama Naeole-Starkey, who ran 27:13 and came in 12th place in boys’ 9-10 division; while Noah Donnelly ran 27:40, earning 14th place in boys’ 11-12 group. 

With close to 1,000 racers competing in the Honolulu 5K for Kids, the Kualapu`u kids did a terrific job of representing Molokai this year, and after getting a taste of some real competition are looking forward to returning to compete on Oahu again next year.  As Genevieve Kikukawa said to her mom after the race, “That was fun, I want to do this again.”  And so the practices and the on-island fundraising races will continue, with track practices scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5 p.m., and the next two Saturday running races on the calendar for May 14 and 21.