Day 3 Preview: Key Events and Battles Ahead at the Oceania Cup
Competition continues at Teufaiva Stadium as Day 3 of the Oceania Cup and Masters Championships gets underway in Nuku‘alofa. With double points on offer in the relays and several national record holders in action, the standings are set for another shake-up.
The Masters Pentathlon opens the day, with seven athletes taking on five disciplines across track and field. Consistency will be key as competitors chase overall points in the combined event.
The mixed 4x100m relay will be one of the headline moments, offering double points for teams in the Oceania Cup standings. With Australia, Polynesia, and Hawaii all within striking distance of the lead, every exchange will matter.
In the 800m, fans can expect another trans-Tasman contest at the front of the field. Melanesian athletes will also be in contention, with several chasing national records.
200m races bring speed back to the track. In the Masters division, Lee-Anne Nelson and Hansel Whippy will both look to complete the 100–200m double. In the senior events, Pais Wisil leads the men’s field, while the women’s race features a strong lineup of national record holders, including Aviva Damjanovic and Jorja Gibbons, setting up another Regional Australia/New Zealand battle for top points.
Invitational sprint events will see athletes from French Polynesia, Tonga, and Samoa competing to establish regional bragging rights as the Polynesian Powerhouse.
The 400m hurdles events are also set to draw attention. Papua New Guinea’s Daniel Baul enters as the fastest in the men’s field, looking to continue his form from the Pacific Mini Games. In the women’s event, Ashleigh Spencer of Australia leads the entries, with national records on watch across both races.
After a standout Day 2 in the discus, Australia’s Zac Harding (T36) will return for the 200m Para event, building on his momentum from yesterday’s personal best.
The 3000m will feature a deep field of national record holders, with several athletes chasing new benchmarks over the 7½-lap distance. The day will conclude with the mixed 4x400m relay, where double points again add to the tension in the team standings.
On the field, the Men’s and Women’s Javelin will see valuable points on the line. Papua New Guinea record holder Lakona Gerga headlines the men’s event for Team Melanesia. In the circle, Nathaniel Sulupo will attempt to add the Shot Put, Discus double for Team Polynesia, while Ashlyn Blackstock of Australia enters as the favourite in the women’s discus.
The Women’s Long Jump sees Australia’s Katie Gunn leading the field, while Piri Nga (Team Polynesia) arrives in strong form after his Pacific Mini Games campaign.
In the Masters Discus, large fields are expected following multiple personal bests in the shot put on Day 2.
Competition begins at 11.00 am (GMT+13).
📅 Day 3 Schedule: athleticsoceania.anet.live/meets/58216
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