Lataisi keeping busy !
Since, despite the provision by Fiji Airways of a safe route to Kiribati, it has not been possible to arrange for Lataisi to return home, he is still based on Gold Coast ! Funding from the Kiribati Government and his family are now helping to pay the implicit costs of his continuing stay.
He continues to train in various ways, not now just doing High Jump. He has been working with a Sprint coach. Recently he competed in Brisbane (19/09/20) and recorded a M100m. time of 11.97 into a headwind of -3.7 m/s ! He is due to compete in local events in the next weeks. One target, if it becomes possible, is to see if the KAA Mens' National Record for HJ can be taken beyond the 2.00m. which he achieved in Australia nearly a year ago.
It is to his credit that he manages to stay positive and undertake constructive programmes. The latest of these is a Food Education Programme. In this, he and others based at the OAA HQ are working with a Griffith University student to enable him to make better use of the various foods available to the population in Kiribati, especially on the capital island of Tarawa. Nutrition is an important part of athlete preparation and Lataisi has been experiencing a "suitable diet" for nearly a year since his training programme started.
Previously he has completed a basic coaching programme which he can hopefully employ when he returns home.
In his latest 'local' competition, again held at the QE2 Stadium in Brisbane on Sept. 26th., 2020 in swirling windy conditions, he clocked an improved 11.66 (wind -1.0) for a 100m., and 54.03 for 400m. His female sprint coach, Leanne, is guiding his training and predicts further improvement.
On Saturday, November 7th., at the QSAC Stadium in Brisbane, he competed for the "Ignition" team, concentrating on the shorter sprints. At the age of 20 he was the youngest in the races. In graded Heat 4 of the M100m. he finished 2nd. of 3 in 11.46 - a new PB. (Wind +0.1) Then in graded Heat 4 of the M200m. he finished 4th. of 4 in 23.12 - another PB. (Wind +1.8). Next Saturday he is due to revert to his main event, the HJ. We pray for calm, dry conditions.
So on November 14th., in the Jai Taurima Shield, again competing for his club, "Ignition", he finished 3rd. (out of three) in the Open HJ, clearing 1.85m. In the Open 400m., Heat 3, he placed 7th. out of 9 in 54.83. He also competed for his club in the Queensland Relays, helping them to the bronze medals in the 4 x 100m., and the silver in the longer 4 x 400m. And he is BIG to be running 400m. !
More recently, in the Benita Willis Shield Part 2, on Saturday, Dec. 5th., again in Brisbane, competing in the Open 200m. Heat 3, he finished 2nd. out of six in a PB of 22.31. This is the fastest ever by a male Kiribati athlete, but since the wind was +4.7 m/sec. it will be recorded as a "windy" Record. Of the 15 men in this event, he was, at 20, the youngest !
In the Glynis Nunn Shield Meeting at QSAC Brisbane on Saturday, Dec. 19th., Lataisi ran for "Ignition" in the 100m. and 200m. In the graded Open 100m. he won Heat 4, of 8 runners, in another new PB of 11.38. (w. +0.8) Again he was the youngest competitor. In the graded Open 200m. he placed 7th. of the 8 runners in Heat 2 in 22.82. (w. +1.4) This time is only 0.01 behind the KAA legal NR ! With this speed and his HJ ability, maybe LJ or even TJ could be another successful skill for him ? We'll see !
And so into 2021. Having returned to training after the holiday break - still in Australia - Lataisi competed on Sat. Jan. 30 in the "Joanna Stone Shield Meeting" at the Queensland Sports Athletics Centre (QSAC) in Brisbane. Running for his "Ignition" club, in the graded, Open 100m. he finished 3rd. (of 6) in Heat 3 and clocked a PB 11.30 but with a +2.5 illegal wind. That ranked him 12/18. Then in the graded, Open 200m. he finished 3rd. (of 5) in Heat 3. in a new PB of 22.61 (wind 0.0) - a new KAA National Record ! This ranked him 9th. of the fifteen sprinters, most of them older than he. So he keeps on working with his lady sprint coach and making progress. I hope that he will be able to use this new skill for KAA in future !
In his next competitive venture, Lataisi was able to return to his original reason for being on Gold Coast - the High Jump ! On Weds. February 10th. in the "Hump Day 2" Meeting, again at QSAC in Brisbane, he competed against one other Open male athlete. He confidently entered the competition at 1.80m., clearing that first time; similarly he progressed at 1.85 and 1.90. It took him three attempts to clear 1.95m., before October 2019 that being his PB ! He persevered with three good tries at 2.00 but not this time ! Not bad in his first HJ competition for three months ! The winner cleared 2.15m.
And so to the next chapter in his competition story ! On Saturday, Feb. 20, in the Garry Brown Shield, again staged at QSAC, he continued to compete for the "Ignition" club. In the fourth of eleven graded 100m. Heats for the Men (expected fastest going in Heat 1), he had a good start and led the nine runners all the way, into a -2.2 headwind. He won in 11.31. There will come a time when he gets a legal tailwind; then we'll what he can do ! And so to Heat 4 of the Mens' 200m. By now the wind had settled and swung round to a legal 1.1. Running in lane 1, he steadily overhauled the other four runners to finish in another PB of 22.54. This breaks his own National Record ! So well done Lataisi (and coach Leanne !)
Now well into the Australian Athletics season, on Saturday, March 6th., again at the QSAC track in Brisbane, Lataisi competed for "Ignition" in a M100m. graded race which was part of the Cathy Freeman Shield Meeting. Being 'user-friendly', the Track officials were keen to help the sprinters and so agreed to switch the start of the 100. to start at the Finish line, to take advantage of a following wind ! Unfortunately, by the time Lataisi's race was on its marks, the wind swung round and, during his race, it was a strong -2.4 ! In spite of that, he ran a brilliant 11.24. He might have done a better time but for the reversed 100m. having an unclear finish; other athletes also hesitated near the finish. In any situation, one can only do one's best: that also applied to officials !
And so to QSAC again for the Queensland (State) Championships from March 11 - 14. Here the races mixed abilities and were not "graded" by ability. Potentially this could help to pull Lataisi to a fast time. In the 100m. Heat 2 (of 4) he started well and was in the mix for the first half. By the finish, helped a little by the +1.0 wind, he placed 6th. (of 8) in 11.21. (5th. place ran 11.14 and qualified for the next round - so not far ahead !) In his 200m. Heat 1 (of 4) he felt a twinge behind one knee but nevertheless placed 4th. (of 6) in 22.65 - with a wind of +0.9. Here the 3rd. place ran 22.03, so Lataisi was not close. Earlier, against two other jumpers in the M High Jump, he cleared the opening height of 1.80m. first time but took three attempts to succeed at 1.85 and 1.90. 'xxx' at 1.95 ended his competition. Here the winner cleared 2.25m. Nevertheless his could have been worth a Championship bronze medal ?! As the southern autumn approaches, North Queensland (i.e. nearer the Equator) may offer a few more competitive chances. (Four images follow, including one where Lataisi is being advised by coach Leanne. All taken at QSAC. You will see from his physique that he has not had a 21-month 'holiday' in Australia ! Image credit to Kobie Donovan.)
Last Modified on 17/03/2021 05:37