By Sevket F. ERBAY
From 13 days long, more than 5000 athletes have competed for their nations in the 17th edition of the Pacific Games which held Solomon Islands first time. 24 independent nations or territories were represented in 24 sports while athletics fans saw 44 finishes in six days.
The two strongholds of the Oceania, Australia and New Zealand have been included the Games in recent edition, and their athletics teams have limited Honiara as well. These two over-powered nations have restricted with 20 athletes in U23 age groups for order to keeping balance with tiny islands.
Meanwhile, Australia’s World U20 medallist sprinter Calab Law completed 100-200 metres double by some margins. Law, still 19, ran 10.40 in 100 metres final to beat fellow Aussie Lachlan Kennedy as he overpowered Papua’s Leeroy Kamau in 200 metres final.
Despite Australia has topped the table as expected with 12 golds, the most remarkable performances came from long distance runners from other countries. The Fijian newcomer Yeshnil Karan completes a triple in Honiara’s National Stadium. In the first evening of the competition, 27 November, he ran his first official 10,000 metres race and destroy 12-strong field to secured title by more than 75-second margin.
Two days later, the 22-year-old Fijian claimed 5000 metres gold when he beat couple of experienced rivals Benjamin Zorgnotti from Tahiti and Siune Kagl of Papua New Guinea. Karan completed his account at the Games in the steeplechase as he clocked 9:18.48 which gave him an honour to became first man to complete that triple since another Fijian Davendra Singh did it so in 1991.
TAN GRABBED TWO
Similar story has written by Nathania Chung Yee Tan of Northern Mariana Islands. The 22-year old coming from US-bond territory has posted first-ever Pacific titles to the nation since their inauguration in 1979. Tan broke games record in 5000 metres by clocking 18:08.69 before she claimed second win in 10,000 metres over Solomon’s two-time Pacific Mini Games champion Dianah Matekali. On the top of her success, she competed in half marathon as well but she became fourth. If we put here a worthy reminder, Northern Mariana Island has never won a single athletics medal previously at the Pacific Games and have only couple of silver and bronze medals at the Mini Games, which is segmental version of the event.
Papua New Guinea have little lost their high medal count in Honiara, but still they’ve placed second after Australia by winning 28 podiums. Their hurdler Daniel Baul grabbed 400m hurdles title – which became eight wins in last nine edition by a Papuan – and added two more golds to his bag after the relays.
EMERGING TUILEFANO
In the women’s throwing events, a new regional star was born. American Samoa’s Nuuausala Tuilefano bought double gold to her team after 24 years since former World Championship medallist Lisa Misipeka did it same in 1999 edition. The 23-year-old US collegiate Tuilefano throws 17.34 in the shot put, which was both games and national record. She added her tally an easy victory in discus with 49.07 effort.
We should add here yet another name, Stephen Mailagi who made shot-discus double among the men. Mailagi, also discus winner in 2019 edition, now has three Pacific Games gold medal which catapulted his name alongside Lolesio Tuita as the most successful Wallis and Futuna contestant ever in the territory.
What about the home team performances in the athletics field, were not so pretty. Sharon Firisua, most decorated Solomon athlete ever with four titles at the Games, has not impacted this time. She gave up for 5000 metres in the opening day and only able to secure a bronze medal in half marathon behind team-mate Dianah Matekeli. In overall, Solomon Islanders claimed four silver and three bronze.
