NEWS FROM AROUND THE REGION
PNG: US Base Athletes 2020 1st Indoor Season Competition
A number of PNG track and field athletes based in the USA began their 2020 competition programmes last weekend as the Indoor season got underway in earnest. Benjamin Aliel and Roland Hure began their season for Southwestern Community College with a Meet in Maryville Missouri. Aliel clocked a very solid 49.13 seconds for the 400m which is a great start to the season for him. Hure was also in good form , clocking 7.06secs for the 60m dash and recording a best long jump of 6.81m . Annie Topal also started her 2020 campaign last weekend in Albuquerque, competing in the 4*400m relay and long jump. New Ireland track Athletes Wesley Logorava and Esther Boram have this year joined up at Union College, Kentucky after completing their respective Junior College Programmes last year.The team competed at the KMS Indoor Invitational Meet at Birmingham Alabama last weekend where Logorava clocked 7.13secs in the 60m and 22.94 in the 200m. Its early in the season and the New Irelander is happy training with sprints coach Andrew Kidd and hopes to clock some good times this year. Logorova is aiming to complete his degree in Human Performance next year and hopes to stay on to take a Masters. Esther Boram joined Logorava at Union College after graduating with an Associates degree in Liberal Arts from New Mexico Military Institute. She competed in the infrequently run 600m event last weekend and clocked a time of 1min 42.74 , then followed this up later with a 2min 24 clocking in the 800m.
Samoa Athletics: Hurdles Challenge
Athletics Samoa had their first event of the year, headlined by the Long and Short Hurdles Challenge. Based at Apia Park Track, the event included
60m Hurdles, 110m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles , 400m Hurdles for Under 18 & Under 20 Athletes
Athletics Australia: Melbourne Track Classic
The Athletics Australia / Athletics Victoria Melbourne Track Classic returned last Thursday (6th Feb) at Lakeside Stadium, Melbourne. The Melbourne Track Classic had a World Athletics Event Permit Status of – D and also included the 5000m National Championships. Highlights included:
- Jessica Hull: 5000m 15:06.12 – Automatic nomination to the Olympic team
- Stewart McSweyn: 5000m 13:38.77 – Automatic nomination to the Olympic team
- Liz Clay: 100m hurdles 12.94 (0.6) – 0.32 seconds PB, 4th Aust All-time, moves from 14th to 4th
- Julian Konle: Triple jump 16.66m (0.7m/s) – PB by 46cm, moves from 25th to 11th Australian all-time
- Ned Weatherly: Hammer Throw 68.50m, PB 2.56m, moves from 26th to 15th Aust All-time
- Luke Young (U20): 800m 1:48.69 – 1.32 seconds PB, and Jack Lunn (U20): 800m 1:48.81 – 0.72 seconds PB, World U20 qualifier
- Sarah Edmiston (F44): Para Discus 36.77m – Tokyo 2020 Para AA A standard
