PNG, Fiji ahead in team rankings

The 2008 Oceania Grand Prix wrapped up yesterday with athletes form Papua New Guinea and Fiji leading their respective teams to the top of the men’s and women’s points standings.

Day 2 of the Grand Prix at the Oleai Track and Field also produced a number of quality races, foremost of which were the long jump of New Caledonia’s Frederic Erin and the women’s 800m of PNG’s Solome Dell.

Erin, who had the crowd clapping before his jumps, leapt to 7.63m in his third attempt to better the 7.62m recorded in the Oceania Championships by New Zealand’s Aaron Langdon in 1994.

Sandy Katusele of PNG finished second in long jump with his 6.90m, while taking third was New Zealand’s John Kendall who had a 6.62m.

Host CNMI’s Jesus Iguel and Trevor Ogumoro finished eighth and ninth with jumps of 5.67m and 5.35m, respectively.

Dell, for her part, improved on Helen Hawley’s Oceania Championship record of 2:09.35, which the Kiwi posted in 1990, when she crossed the finish line of the 800m run in 2:08.96.

New Zealand’s Emily Kinsler came in second with her 2:19.28 with Samoa’s Eka Faitala taking third in a time of 2:37.79. The CNMI’s Reylyn Sapong came in fourth, clocking in at 2:57.79.

In other track events, PNG’s Toea Wisil came close to shattering the Oceania Championship record in the century dash when she ran the women’s 100m in 24.72. A close second was teammate Mae Koime at 24.77 with the CNMI’s Yvonne Bennett placing third with a time of 26.82.

The men’s field, on the other hand, was won by Fiji’s Isir Naikelekelevesi (1:55.48), followed by Tahiti’s Teiva Izal (1:59.48), and Samoa’s Iulio Lafai (1:59.57). The CNMI’s Champ Untalan and Matthew Mancao came in sixth (2:15.20) and seventh (2:21.25).

The men’s 200m sprint, meanwhile, saw Isoa Me of Fiji beat compatriot Iowane Dovumatua, 22.23 to 22.57. Third place went to PNG’s Waname Egora with his 22.77.

The CNMI’s Tyrone Omar came in at 10th with a 23.08, while Jesus Iguel, Luis Iguel, Juan Iguel, and Jericho Cruz were 18th, 22nd, 24th, and 25th with times of 24.17, 24.90, 25.49, and 25.86, respectively.

Me had another first place finish in the men’s 400m, tearing the tape the same time as PNG’s Mowen Boino (48.45). Second place went to Samoa’s Aunese Curreeen (49.52).

In the women’s 400m, Betty Barua of PNG won the race, hands down, with a time 56.58. Fiji’s Salote Meruela (60.85) was second with Yvonne Bennett of the CNMI taking third (61.34).

The 100m hurdles had Samoa’s Monique Lafaialii winning the women’s race in 16.59, followed by the CNMI’s Jacque Wonenberg and Ana Tenorio, 18.05 and 18.74.

The men’s 100m hurdles was topped by Cyprien Teuhi of Tahiti (15.81) with Guam’s Kenneth Karosich and Tahiti’s Maui Barff coming second and third with times of 15.92 and 16.18, respectively.

The field events, meanwhile, saw Kelly Humpries of Australia winning the hammer with a throw of 49.14m. Compatriot Olivia Birkett had a 35.10m for second place with Guam’s Genie Gierardo taking third with her 32.16m. The CNMI’s Jenequa Benavente wound up fifth (20.79m).

Thomas McGuire won another event for Australia with his 45.15m throw in the men’s hammer. Fellow Aussie Travis Ambrum was the only other competitor and he registered a throw of 35.20m.

Leslie Copeland of Fiji took first place in the javelin (66.18m), followed by Cook Islands’ Denis Taripo (45.27) and Daniel Tutai (44.52m).

Results of discuss were still not available as of press time.

PNG currently leads the women’s team ranking with 81 points, followed by host Northern Marianas with 73 and Guam a far third with 42 points. New Zealand (27), Cook Islands (26), Fiji (24), Tahiti (18), Australia (18), and Samoa (16) make up the rest of the field in the women’s division.

Fiji, meanwhile, has a slim lead over PNG in the men’s standings with 79 points. PNG has 76.5 points followed by the CNMI (74), Tahiti (53), New Caledonia (30), New Zealand (24.5), Samoa (22), Cook Islands (22), Australia (18), Solomon Islands (17), Guam (17), Kiribati (9), Vanuatu (9), and Federated States of Micronesian (6).

The 2008 Oceania Championships unfurls Thursday with an opening ceremony at the American Memorial Park. It will be preceded by the Cross Country event that starts bright and early at 6am at Laolao Bay Golf Resort in Kagman.