Palau Names Team for Oceania Athletics Championships in Darwin

Palau has named its team ahead of the 2026 Oceania Athletics Championships in Darwin, with athletes set to compete across both Open and Under 18 divisions.

Leading the team is Olympian and World Championships representative Sydney Francisco. The sprinter comes from a strong family background in athletics, with her mother Peoria Kobisha becoming Palau’s first Olympic track and field representative at the Sydney 2000 Games. Sydney, who was named after the host city, holds the national record in the triple jump and the Under 20 record in the 100m, and is closing in on the open national mark.

The Abada brothers, Righteous and Peace, will again wear the Palau singlet after representing the country across multiple events in recent years. Righteous will compete in the Open division, while Peace lines up in the Under 18s.

They are joined by fellow Under 18 athletes Elton Miguel Mangeron and John David Julian, adding to a young and developing squad heading into Darwin.

Francisco said she is looking forward to the opportunity to compete alongside the next generation of Palauan athletes.

“I’m excited to be heading to the Oceania Championships in Darwin. I’m really grateful for the chance to compete with this team again,” she said.

“We’ve got a group of young athletes coming through and I’m looking forward to seeing them step up and show what they can do.”

The 2026 Oceania Athletics Championships will mark another important moment for Palau athletics, following the success of hosting the Pacific Mini Games in Palau with a mix of experience and emerging talent taking to the Oceania stage.

Follow Palau Athletics and Oceania Athletics across social media and online for updates throughout the championships.

–ENDS–