*Team Solomon Islands End on a High (inc photos)Sharon Firisua breaks
Solomon Islands National Record The last athlete to compete for Team
Solomon Islands in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Sharon Firisua set
a new Solomon Islands National Record for the 5000m, and in the process
smashed her Personal Best. Despite typically tough Scottish weather
conditions, Sharon ran a time of 18 minutes 45.18 seconds to set the new
National Record.Brian Pongotapu, Secretary General of Team Solomon Islands,
explained the conditions ahead of Sharon’s race, “Sharon is feeling good,
but the weather is the biggest issue we have come across. Hopefully she
will do well, as she has been here [in Scotland] for 3 weeks prior to the
competition.”The athletes were fortunate that their race was at the same
time as a short gap in the rain, which was a welcome relief from the
torrential downpours that marred the rest of the evening. However, this
didn’t mean that there was any rise in temperature, it was still very cold
even for Scotland’s standards. Sharon explained the effects of this: “the
weather is not good for me, my breathing was ok but my legs were so heavy,
I can’t move them.”Despite this, Sharon was really pleased with her time,
and managed to put in a good turn of speed for the last lap to smash the
national record. “I knew it was my last lap, and I saw the time, and I
wanted to set a new national record, while the crowd cheering gave me
strength and energy to finish the race.”Although she finished the race in a
record breaking time, she still believes that she has a lot more to give.
As she says: “The best is yet to come! It’s my first time competing in the
Commonwealth Games and I am so glad that I have broken the national record,
which is what I aimed for. I want to keep training and set a new record, I
can do more!” ...Ends...
This article was produced by Dan O'Hara of The
Reporters’ Academy, the official media of the Pacific Nations at Glasgow
2014 Commonwealth Games. Currently reporting from the athletes village.
Last Modified on 11/08/2014 21:07