You’re reading The Husk's Friday edition, our Weekender, a countdown/roundup of miscellanea from Micronesia, Guam, and Earth. I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was one filled with abundance and peace and gratitude.
Pacific Games1 stories featuring Micronesia
Tasi Limtiaco is making history for the FSM at the Pacific Games, earning the nation’s first gold medal in swimming while competing in the Solomon Islands. Tasi earned two gold medals. Per the Pacific Games News Service: “It’s definitely a step closer to the triple crown, that’s my goal,” a delighted Limtiaco told the Pacific Games News Service. “I thought that the hundred (men’s 100m breast stroke) was going to be the hardest race, but I think that one (50m breast stroke) was the toughest one just because Micah from American Samoa, he was fast in the prelims so I was a little bit worried, but I managed to hold it together and get him at the end. I’m really happy.”
Guam’s men’s tennis team also snagged themselves a gold medal by beating Tahiti, per The Guam Daily Post. It’s a first for Guam in this sport.
In other Pac Games competition, Nicola Lagatao, for Guam, will be lugging some Pacific Games gold medals home after her impressive performance, per The Guam Daily Post. Jacinta Sumagaysay for Guam also earned a couple of bronze medals in weightlifting. Palau earned three bronze medals in weightlifting courtesy of Stevick Patris. The Marshall Islands’ Mike Riklon and Mattie Sasser lifted their way to gold medals, and Mike Riklon also earned a silver medal along with Patterson River for the RMI. The Northern Mariana Islands racked up weightlifting gold, silver, and bronze medals courtesy of Raymond Santos, a gold medal and a bronze medal for swimming thanks to Isaiah Aleksenko, and another bronze in weightlifting thanks to Leowell Cristobal. The NMI men’s swimming team also clinched the bronze medal in the 4x200 relay. (This is as of Nov. 22, 2023.)
stories from Tia Belau
I spoke with Scott Fitzgerald for a story about this interesting archaeological dispute about research that was based in Palau. Glad to see him continuing his work in the region.
Lisa Lines is accused of attempted murder and hiring a hitman to kill her ex-husband, according to Tia Belau. This story is wild. Period. 2
Micronesian MVP
Kayna Kanemoto is the back-to-back volleyball MVP for the Guam Department of Education Interscholastic Sports Association. Her accomplishment sent the Micronesian grapevine abuzz recently.
If you want to see Kayna in her element, she and her fellow Sharks crushed their opponents in the GSPN Champion vs. Champion game. When I say, crushed, I mean c r u s h e d. The girls on the Sharks volleyball squad came and conquered in three sets, leaving no room for debate: They are the champion of champions. Watch the game here:
Every week (that the Weekender comes out) we’ll leave you with a send-off song (not necessarily from a Micronesian artist) curated by my brother, Henry, whose musical tastes have left a lifelong impression on me and, now hopefully, you.
This week’s send-off song is “Good Time” by Niko Moon. I haven’t heard this one before and I’m into it.
We’re building a send-off song playlist on Spotify that includes the songs mentioned in past Weekender posts. Check it out.
One more song from me. This week, I couldn’t get “Sweet Love” out of my head!
Thank you for reading! Have a great weekend,
Jasmine
Over the past year, my appreciation for sport in our society has grown tremendously. On an individual level and a community level, sports can be a rewarding experience and can foster a sense of belonging and pride. It has the power to bring people together.
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