Athletics PNG has named a team of eight athletes to travel to Tahiti next month for the Oceania Championships which will be held in Papeete from June 3 to 5. The athletes are Toea Wisil , Nelson Stone, Mowen Boino , Sapolai Yao , Andipas Georasi Theo Piniau, Tuna Tine and Mong Tavol. For Wisil , Stone and Boino the championships provide an opportunity to qualify for the World Championships which will be held in Moscow in August. Athletes who win the Oceania Area Championship are deemed to have automatically qualified for the World Championships. However their selection is subject to them meeting a minimum performance standard set by Athletics PNG. The in form Wisil will be the clear favourite in the womens 100m and 200m. Stone who recently competed at the Asian Grand Prix series in Thailand and Sri Lanka has yet to show the sort of form that he displayed at the Olympic Games in London and will be taking a short break at home before returning to Brisbane to focus on the Oceania Championships. Mowen Boino has yet to race this year and will have his work cut out to win the 400m hurdles event. The veteran hurdler has however proved in the past that he can run quality times without the benefit of good lead up competition. Yao , who will run the steeplechase and 10000m as well as Georasi (5000m and 10000m) are expected to have good competition against distance runners from the French territories. Piniau has continued to show good form in the 400m since winning this event at the PNG Games and this will be a good stepping stone for him. Tuna Tine will contest the womens 800m and 1500m and Mong Tavol the long jump and triple jump.
Philip Rehder will accompany the athletes as Team Manager with APNG development officer Monica Henao also travelling to Tahiti in order to attend a Competition Management Seminar.
Last Modified on 19/05/2013 21:44