Young Betty Babalu was over the moon last night after clinching the women’s 5000 metres title at the BCI Stadium.
The 12-year-old Solomon Islander could not wish for anything else than a golden debut.
The last event of day one lived up to its expectation with neck–to-neck race between Babalu and Fijian Sereima Liku.
The Malaita Province, Solomon Islands, primary school student clocked 20 minutes 10.29 seconds to beat Liku.
Liku, who managed to clock in 20 min 10.67s, gave away her lead just five metres away from the mark.
Babalu started the race on a high until the final 100m remained, in which Liku gained the pace and took the lead from her.
But Babalu was not willing to give away the race so easily, making an emphatic comeback in the last five metres.
“This is unbelievable… I’m really excited and my dreams came true today (yesterday),” she said.
“Now I have realised that I have potential in me to compete in such big events. This win has given me a big challenge – and that is to maintain this title.”
The bronze medal went to New Caledonia’s Anne Ioneba. She clocked a time of 20 min 20.63.
The similar feat was achieved by Fiji’s Akesa Drotini in 2007 Pacific Games in Samoa. - Rashneel Kumar: Cook Islands News
Last Modified on 24/09/2009 18:50