The curtain raiser to the Oceania Athletics Championships, the Oceania Invitational sees World Class Athletes hit the nation’s capital this Saturday 1 June.
For the first time in Oceania the World Athletics Continental Tour Meetings have reached the shores the Pacific Islands in Suva, Fiji. These meets see domestic and international athletes chasing points as key qualification opportunities for the Olympic Games in Paris and the World Athletics Championships in 2025.
To begin the action at HFC Bank Stadium it’s the Men’s 110m Hurdles (12:45pm). Australian’s Chris Douglas (AUS), the current Oceania Record holder over 60m Hurdles will be looking to hold off Tayleb Willis and Jacob McCorry (AUS) once again.
The Women’s 100m Hurdles race at 1.15pm is set to inspire, Danielle Shaw (AUS) recently breaking the 13 second barrier is the favourite. Chasing her will be Papua New Guinea National Record holder Adrine Monagi, who recently set the record at the Australian National Championships in April in Adelaide, Australia.
Later in the afternoon the men’s 100 metre will take to the track and it will be Australia’s Joshua Azzopardi (AUS) who has run 10.15 nd Jacob Despard (AUS) who will be pursuing the critical ranking points on offer. Look out for Pacific Games Bronze medallist Johnny Key (SAM), Fijian National Champion Waisake Tewa (FIJ), and the dynamite out of the blocks, Papua New Guinean Pais Wisil (PNG).
The women’s 100 metres will see Australia’s Bree Masters (AUS) and Ella Connolly (AUS) fresh off qualifying their relay team to the Olympics in Paris charging down the home straight. Masters was out of sorts in the final at the Australian Championships and will be looking to avenge her defeat. The Australian’s will be accompanied by 200m specialists Riley Day and Mia Gross (AUS). Leonie Beu of PNG in a breakthrough season comes into the competition fresh off a collegiate season and will be looking to see if she can snare one of the Universality spots for Paris along with hometown favourite, Fiji’s Braelyn Yee.
Alex Beck (AUS) and Luke van Ratingen (AUS) will be going head-to-head once again on the Continental Tour battling for ranking points in the men’s 400 metres. Watch out for Fijian 4×400 medallist Jonacani Koroi (FIJ) to come through!
800m Men’s
Triple Pacific Games Gold Medallist Yeshnil Karan (FIJ) was looking to go head to head with Olympian Alex Beddoes (COK) over two laps, but Beddoes has opted to keep his
race for the Championships later in the week. This race will be a huge opportunity for Yeshnil in the Olympic Qualification pathway and can’t be missed.
The field events see match ups and rematches of previous Oceania meets, with big throws and jumps ahead. Liam Adcock (AUS), Henry Frayne (AUS) and Darcy Roper (AUS) have jumped 8.15m+ previously and will be looking for that number again chasing the Olympic Qualifying mark and points on offer. Olympian Rellie Kaptuin (PNG) will take on the Australian contingent of Samantha Dale (AUS), Elizabeth Hedding (AUS), and Tomysha Clark (AUS).
Pacific Games Champion Desleigh Owusu (AUS) goes head-to-head with Oceania Champion Kayla Cuba (AUS). The Men’s competition sees Aiden Hinson (AUS) the favourite over countrymate Shemaiah James (AUS).
Unbeaten in the Pacific competitions, Pacific games champion Nash Lowis (AUS) leads the competition with an 80.10m personal best. Closely chasing Nash will be Cruz Hogan (AUS), Neil Janse (AUS), and Samoan Record holder Donny Tumiaseve (SAM).
Commonwealth Games Finalist Taryn Gollshewsky (AUS) headlines the Women’s Discus event, competing with rising Fijian athletics star Brienna Rabakewa (FIJ).
It’s an action-packed afternoon of Athletics at HFC Bank Stadium that you don’t want to miss. Tickets are available on-line and at the gate. Full entries can be viewed at HERE.