SNOW REPORT: DAY THREE OF COMPETITION Oceania Athletics Association

DAY THREE OF COMPETITION
WORDS: BOB SNOW

After a sunny and fine free day on Sunday, we returned to competition on Monday afternoon. Would the great Sunday weather pattern remain good for this new week of action?

The Women’s Discus Final started the day. As expected, Charlize Goody (AUS – 49.43m) was safely ahead of Koata Lewageena (FIJ – 48.15m) with Brienna Rabakewa (FIJ – 45.61m) claiming the bronze. Positions 1 to 6 were all filled by teenagers. Now – keep them in the sport to see them flourish in the full Pacific Games in Tahiti (2027) and beyond.

The Men’s 110m Hurdles, with eight entries, required two heats to decide the six finalists. For those readers from the American sphere, the 1.067m high hurdles convert from the old international measurement of 42 inches (3’6”). I grew up before Australia turned “metric” and can still remember the earlier Imperial measurement days.

Errol Qaqa (FIJ – 14.79 seconds) emerged as the favourite from Alex Dunn (AUS – 15.63 seconds) and Maika Pedro (SAM – 15.66 seconds). The final is on the final day of track competition.

Men’s Shot Put Para Secured saw PNG get two medals. The gold went to Morea Mararos (PNG – F34 – 7.57m) from Christian Chee Ayee (PYF – F54 – 7.56m) and Jerome Bunge (PNG – F57 – 8.71m).

At 2.40pm we saw the beginning of 6 heats of the Men’s 200m. The big question is, which of the 100m finalists will be seen in the final of the 200m? The PNG entrants have a good pedigree, with Pais Wisil (brother of Toea Wisil & Kupun Wisil), Timothy Tuna (son of Takale Tuna) and Johnny Bai (son of Geoffrey Bai who won the gold medal in the 400m in the Suva Pacific Games in Suva in 2003, and silver in the 200m event in the same Games). Will pedigree help propel them to the final? There will be 28 other athletes in the field who will try to prove otherwise. Game on.

All the expected runners made it through to the semi-finals to be held tomorrow. They will need to find another gear to ensure that they can make it to the final. Heat 5 had a wind reading of +2.1mps – a rare time over this “barrier”. The leading four for the final are – Timothy Tuna (PNG – 21.22 seconds), Waisake Tewa (FIJ – 21.48 seconds), Johnny Bai (PNG – 21.83 seconds), Pais Wisil (PNG – 21.91 seconds). All other qualifiers for the semi-finals clocked over 22 seconds.

Men’s Para Javelin Ambulant was handily won by Soane Meissonnier (WAF – F 20 – 50.18m) from Ken Kahu (VAN – F44 – 48.37m) and Junior Dennis (PNG – F46 – 45.59m).

Women’s Para Long Jump Ambulant was won by Dorna Longbut (PNG – T/F 46 – 4.56m) from Manega Tapari (PNG – F46 – 4.46m) and Marcelline Moli (VAN – F46 – 3.75m).

For those who want more information about the classification system, just follow the link to go to Paralympic.org.

https://www.paralympic.org/athletics/classification

The Women had four heats for the 200m. Will the favourites for the medals – Kayedel Smith (AUS), Helena Young (FIJ) and Isila Apkup (PNG) deliver, or will we see a small upset in the final to be held on Tuesday? The six most likely to survive the semi-finals and get to the final were – Isila Apkup (PNG – 24.79 seconds), Kayedel Smith (AUS – 24.93 seconds), Heleina Young (FIJ – 25.19 seconds), Sera Nasilivata (FIJ – 25.31 seconds), Joy Tieba (PNG – 25.63 seconds) and Patricia Kuku (PNG – 25.97 seconds). Some of the heat winners looked to be in cruise-control mode. We have not seen their true form yet.

Women’s 100m Hurdles (0.838 metres high – 33 inches in the “old measurement”) saw a gold medal for French Polynesia – Kiara Gilroy (15.63 seconds), from Hazel Wilson (GUM – 16.46 seconds) and Manatu Hafoka (TGA – 18.07 seconds). There were five in the final.

The Men’s Discus Final was won by Angus Clues (AUS – 47.26m) from Stephen Mailagi (WAF – 45.99m) and Tapuakitau Lakalaka (WAF – 45.90m). There were seven contestants over 40m, and a total of 12 in the final.

In the Women’s High Jump Final the favourite, Zoe Peacock (AUS – 1.75m) won the gold medal from Hephzibah Romalus (PNG – 1.55m). Two athletes tied for the bronze medal position, and both received their medals in the ceremony. They were Olivia Reed (MHL – 1.50m) and Reki Roberts (FIJ – 1.50m).

Men’s Triple Jump Final saw six athletes battle it out for the medals. Frederico Miller (FIJ – 13.89m) won the gold ahead of Pol-Elie Raoult (PYF – 13.76m) and Samuela Vunivalu (FIJ – 13.70m). There were six in the final, with the oldest being only 20-years of age. Looking to the future – so keep them in the sport.

Men’s 5000m Final. We will now see the two favourites – Hugh Kent (GUM) and Yeshnil Karan (FIJ) clash head-to-head. We missed this rivalry in the 10000m, with Yeshnil not being entered.

The start of the race was subdued with nobody prepared to make a move to lead. Gradually the two favourites pulled away from the pack leaving two PNG runners fighting out the bronze medal. Eventually Yeshnil (FIJ – 15:27.62) put his foot on the gas and pulled away to be a comfortable winner from Hugh Kent (GUM – 15:37.19). Abel Siune (PNG – 15:44.30) won the bronze medal just ahead of his teammate Dilu Bob (15:49.58).

Men’s 400m Final saw a slight upset – well it was for me at least. The winner was Adolf Kauba (PNG – 48.04) defeating teammate Daniel Baul (PNG – 48.35). Daniel has been one of PNG’s main 400m man for some time. Adolf returned a good time just before the team left for Palau, so I should not be too surprised. In third place was Jeremiah N’Godrela (NCL – 48.91 seconds). Expect Daniel Baul to bounce back in the 400m Hurdles to be held tomorrow.

The Women’s 400m Final had an expected winner – Heleina Young (FIJ – 56.05 seconds). In second was Patricia Kuku (PNG – 58.08 seconds) and third was Joy Tieba (PNG – 58.50 seconds). Will be interesting see how Heleina goes now that she has returned to her “main sport” after flirting with Rugby. Will check with her coach Bola to see what plans he has.

The Women’s 5000m Final was another opportunity for Tania Tan (NMI) to show her talents to the Pacific. Will she deliver? I do not know of anyone who would disagree. (Foolish me).

By the second lap the field had split into two and shortly after the front group broke up and the potential medallists – led by Tania Tan (NMI) took off. The group of three seemed to be full of confidence. When will the final push begin? Who would then make the break?

With three laps to go, Jordan Baden (GUM) made a break to move away from the favourite, Tania Tan (NMI) and Natalia Prado Alfonso (NCL). Tania faded to third and the gold went to Jordan Baden (GUM), the silver to Natalia and Tania the bronze. A big turn-up for the books. Got to love this sport. What is really 100% predictable?

The times were Jordan Baden (GUM – 17:45.37), Natalia Prado Alfonso (NCL – 18:01.31) and Tania Tan (NMI – 18:20.97). Both first and second broke the old Games Record.

Jordan broke the old Games Record of 18:08.69 set by Tania Tan in Honiara (2023). The record she broke was a relatively new one as the women only had the 5000m from 1999 onwards – years after the Nadia Prasad era.

The evening’s high profile finale sees the finals of the Women’s and the Men’s 4 x 100m Relay. Looking at the fields I would predict that Fiji is the probable favourite for the Women’s Relay and PNG is favourite for the Men’s Relay. Will all the baton changes for all the teams be good? We do not want to see any red cards here.

The narrow win for PNG in the Women’s Relay was a surprise. My powers of prediction have taken a battering today.

The results of the Relay were – PNG first in 47.18 seconds, with their team of Hephzibah Romalus, Denlyne Kinbangi, Joy Tieba and Isila Apkup. The silver medal went to Fiji with the time of 47.33 seconds (Melania Turaga, Heleina Young, Braelyn Yee and Sera Nasilivata). French Polynesia won the bronze medal with a time of 48.97 seconds and their team being Mihivai Atrewe, Alessa Llerena – Soulie, Kiara Gilroy & Hereiti Bernadino. In 4^th and 5^th were Nauru and Palau.

The Men’s 4 x 100m was a fitting finish to a great day of competition. I was asked by the Post Courier newspaper in PNG to write some words about the relay and I copy them below.

“Led off by Pais Wisil, who passed the baton to Johnny Bai and then to Emmanuel Anis. The final leg – to glory – was run by Timothy Tuna.

The time was 40.23 seconds, and new PNG National Record, beating the old one they set in the 1995 South Pacific Games in Tahiti. The old record was 40.29 seconds. I was lucky enough to be there in Tahiti to see them win gold, with a new PNG NR. One of those record setter from 1995 was here in Palau to see the team break his record. It was coach Subul Babo”.

I had written an article for the Post Courier on 25^th June, under the heading of “Palau Here We Come”, predicting that the PNG Men’s 4 x 100m Relay was ready for the big time. Glad they delivered. No apologies for being a proud Athletics PNG life member and reminiscing about former Games.

The medal winning teams in this final event of the night were – PNG (40.23 seconds – Pais Wisil, Johnny Bai, Emmanuel Anis & Timothy Tuna) for the gold. Silver went to Fiji (40.76 seconds – Penaia Ramasirai, Waisake Tewa, Waisea Tuiyabayaba & Inoke Waisele). The bronze meda was claimed by Samoa (42.73 seconds – Taitaifono Samisoni, Asalemo Fanolua, Maika Pedro & Johnny Key). The other finalists were 4^th Kiribati (42.91 seconds), Solomon Islands (43.38 seconds) and Vanuatu (43.49 seconds).

We now get excited about an action-packed Day Four of the competition – the last session on the track. Day Five is on the road with the Men’s and Women’s half Marathon.

After a sunny and fine free day on Sunday, we returned to competition on Monday afternoon. Would the great Sunday weather pattern remain good for this new week of action? Athletics brought the heat in the challenging conditions

Monday afternoon was very hot and with the lack of a cooling breeze it was quite oppressive. Not good conditions for the 5000m. Not good for many of the spectators who in the late afternoon were desperately seeking shade. I know I was. No rain, however.