FAST SPRINTERS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES COMING UP …

YES, I have said in the last post that the fastest sprinters in the Pacific come from Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

But as I am aware, as I was browsing through the results of the sprints/relays, I must say there are good (should I say elite) runners from other nations who have done well in the 2013 IX Mini Pacific Games – and hopefully will carry that good effort into the 2015 XV Pacific Games to be staged in Port Moresby, PNG.

These are my own views regarding possible performances by the different nations, as I look into the future, including the 2015 Pacific Games.

In the women’s sprint events Lovelite Detenamo, the Nauruan came third to Toea Wisil (PNG) and Younis Bese (Fiji).

In her early 20s, Detenamo has another decade yet to compete and may be reaching her prime in a few years time.

It is interesting to note that the Cook Islands top sprinter Patricia Taea came second to Toea Wisil in the Women’s 200m finals, almost 1.0s behind the Papua New Guinean.

Elenoa Sailosi (Fiji) came third, 0.09s after Taea.

Photo: Some of the fastest female sprinters in the Pacific coming around the bend in the 200m finals. They include (from left) Elenoa Sailosi (Fiji), Toea Wisil (PNG), Patricia Taea (Cook Islands) and Lovelite Detenamo (Nauru). Wisil crossed the line first, followed by Taea and Sailosi. - Pic by ANDREW MOLEN, PNGOC MEDIA 

In the Women’s 4X100m relay, Vanuatu took the third place after PNG and Fiji. That shows that they have some good sprinters there who will come up the ranks in years to come.

Similarly, Tonga Women’s 4X400m relay team came third, after PNG and Fiji.

Tonga has a lot of young athletes in their team and therefore can make some good performances in the 2015 Games.

In the Men’s 200m race, it was great seeing Palau’s Rodman Teltull coming third, after Fiji’s Banuve Tabakaucoro and PNG’s Joe Matmat.

In the 400m Men’s finals, it was also pleasing to see Samoa’s Siologa Viliamu Sepa taking the gold, with Tonga’s Heamatangi Tuivai coming second and followed by Fiji’s Batinisavu Uluiyata.

If PNG and Fiji do not work on developing better 400m specialists, the Polynesians may continue to top this event in the 2015 Games.

New Caledonia and Tonga have done well in the 4X100m Men’s relay in coming home second and third respectively after PNG.

That also shows that there are good sprinters in those teams – and they should work hard to do well in the 100m event.

(NOTE: Fiji cruised home first in the 4X100m relay but was disqualified because one of its runners went off his lane. PNG, who crossed the line second were therefore handed the gold medal because of Fiji’s mishap.)

In the Men’s 4X400m, the Samoa team with top athlete Siologa Viliamu Sepa came home third, after Fiji and PNG.

Samoa has to groom more athletes like Sepa (for the 400m event) to combine for a better performance in this relay event.    

   

With that I end this post with a “bon courage” or “best wishes” to all those athletes named – and the ones who were not named but gave their best in the Mini Games.