Words: Bob Snow
In the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, many Solomon Islanders had the opportunity to try events that they have never tried before.

One athlete was Julian Sosimo. She participated in the 100m Hurdles, Pole Vault, Javelin, and the Heptathlon. Here in Suva she has entered the Senior Women’s Pole Vault, Javelin and Heptathlon.

Good publicity in the PNG media for Daniel Baul who won the Sportsman of the Year Award on Saturday night. It is the first time that Athletics has ever won this award and the sport is very happy with Daniel’s success, but also the fact that one of the other finalists was Benjamin Aliel.

Both athletes are here in Suva to test their ability against the rest of the Pacific Islands yet again, but also the might of the Australian and New Zealand sprinting teams.

Immediately after the Opening Ceremony finished, Daniel was warming up on the far side of the track, getting ready for his training session. Daniel is entered in the 200m, 400m and (his specialty) the 400m Hurdles.

It pays to have a celebrity athlete competing in your competition. Well, Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka certainly fits that category. If people did not know about the Oceania Athletics Championship, well they do now. The action picture of the PM about to throw the discus was on the front page of today’s Fiji Times. I am sure that OAA managed to get a few memorable photographs as well.

Good to see Fiji Athletics star, Eugene Vollmer, back in action again. He has just won the Javelin Event for Men aged 35-39 years. The distance was 48.91m. Well done Eugene. Now we wait to see how your Triple Jump form is going. Go for it.

In the Triple Jump for Masters, Eugene will be one of 18 athletes competing. We will bring you the result.

Another journey to the past. Former Pacific Games gold medallist in the Hammer Throw, Brentt Jones won the Masters Hammer Throw (55-59 years) with a creditable 39.82m. For Norfolk Island he has won one gold, two silver and four bronze medals in Pacific Games competition. His daughter Taleyah is in the Shot Put and hammer Throw fields for Senior Women.

Samoa’s Shaka Sola was also in the field, in the 45 – 49 years age group. We will see him again in the competition. He has entered five throwing events.

French Polynesia’s Kiara Gilroy finished in third position in the Women’s U18 400m Hurdles with a time of 66.80 seconds. In the two heats for this event there six Islanders competing – two from each of French Polynesia, Guam and Tonga. We will look forward to seeing these names in their respective team for future Oceania or Pacific competitions. In the Honiara Games Kiara entered only the 200m.

Long time Fiji athlete, coach and technical official, Albert Miller, won his division (65-69 years) in the Masters’ Discus competition. Also competing in this event was Hendry Ah-Tchoy (PYF – bronze medal winner in the Decathlon in the 1999 and 2003 South Pacific Games. Hendry also won the silver medal in the Octathlon in the Mini Games in 2001 on Norfolk Island).