The Oceania Athletes of the Pacific Islands stepped up as the sole representatives for their countries at the World Athletics Championships. The athlete group filled with debutants, rose to the occasion breaking Personal and seasons bests. A young group, heavy with debutants, rose to the occasion with a string of personal and season bests.

The Pacific Island representatives were the only athletes from their countries on the start lists. Ten had spent their final days together at a pre-championship camp in Fukuoka, gaining access to track sessions, strength work, recovery, and nutrition. The Fukuoka camp made pssible by the partnerships between ONOC and the Fukuoka prefecture.

On the men’s 100 metres start line, the Pacific presence was loud in the preliminary rounds.
Winzar Kakiouea – Nauru- 10.93
Kenaz Kaniwetw – Kiribati 11.10 – Debut
Titali Kolomalu – Tonga – 11.29 Personal Best – Debut
Matthew Fiso – American Samoa – 11.40 Personal Best – Debut
Stan Kostka Federated States of Micronesia – 11.48 Season Best – Debut
Ty’ree Langidrik – Marshall Islands – 11.68 Season Best
Tyson Chinn – Palau – 11.55 – Debut
Theodore Rodgers – Northern Mariana Islands – 12.13 – Debut

In the women’s 100 metres heats, Cook Islands debutant Estelle Short ran 12.55 for a season best. Vanuatu’s Chloe David ran 12.40 and setting a new personal best. Two athletes. Two faster times. We see the two Women return to the track at the Oceania Cup in Tonga in October

There was courage and learning in the men’s 1500 metres, too. Fiji’s Yeshnil Karan, competing at his first Worlds, running 3:50.77 for a personal best after a compressed build-up. Guam’s Hugh Kent ran 4:03.84 on debut and left the stadium with a plan to chase national records in the college season. On the runway, French Polynesia’s Raihau Maiau stretched out to 7.75 metres in qualification, a composed series from a Polynesian jumper in one of the deepest fields of the week.

Raihau took the honour of being the first Tahitian to step onto the Long Jump Runway at a World Athletics Championships, despite not meeting the 8m marks he had jumped recently, his Individual performance was matched by perspective. “Life was really good to me this year. I was really consistent near eight metres, but the season was really long. I started in March in Queensland and we all felt the heat today, we are all human.” Maiau said, reflecting on the arc of his campaign and the reality of championship conditions. “I finished 26th of 39, and that’s pretty good.”

Kolomalu’s spoke of his debut. “It was really good and a special feeling for me for this is the first time for me to compete at world stage,” the Tongan sprinter said after his 11.29 personal best. “The crowd was awesome and I got a PB. This will be the start of my career. I’d like to thank Oceania Athletics for the opportunity and all the help for us, the City of Fukuoka, our coaches in Tonga and those who helped in the camp. Thank you to the people of Tonga for the prayers and support. I hope I made my parents in Vava’u proud. I’m looking forward to the Oceania Cup in Tonga. I know this is the beginning of my journey as a 100m sprinter.”

Kent was looking towards the future about his day and optimistic about what it can unlock. “My race today was quite disappointing. I couldn’t achieve any of my goals and did not PR,” he said. “Even still, being able to run at such a prestigious level was an amazing experience. All of the volunteers were very kind and respectful, and despite feeling out of place I felt very welcomed by them. I really appreciate the help of the volunteers not just here in Tokyo, but also those in Fukuoka at the training camp. This trip was so much more exciting because of them. I will focus on my collegiate running and attempt Guam’s national records in the middle distances this track season.”

Karan’s takeaway sounded like a blueprint for the months ahead. “It was a new experience, my first World Championships, lining up against world and Olympic champions,” he said after his 3:50.77 personal best. “The last 600 metres was really fast, and I’m pleased with my performance, especially given my limited preparation while I was back in Fiji for the arrival of our second son. With only six weeks of focused training in Brisbane, I am happy to have achieved a PB. I’m thankful to my training partners who pushed me and to everyone who supported and cheered me on. I now look forward to a stronger build-up and an even better performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.”

The group now completed their competition, depart for home. Many will regather next month and compete at the Oceania Cup in Tonga.

The Pacific Athletes are still to be represented by:

Stephen Rahuasi – Solomon Islands 800m
Tovetuna Tuna – Papua New Guinea – 200m
Alex Rose – Samoa -Men’s Discus

They hit the track in the later stages of the competition here in Tokyo

—ENDS—