Pacific Games - Athletics

Papua New Guinea is expected to dominate the 400 hurdle finals at the BSP Stadium in Port Moresby today

Gime and Joshua Peniel will give their local hero a good challenge and the race is expected to be a one, two, three, finish for Papua New Guinea.

“I cannot underestimate my opponents but i must have a positive mind,” Gime said.

Boino in his last Pacific Games, and running on the tracks where he started his carrier will be using his experience gained over the years of dominance in the code as his weapon, and spectators are sure to be standing all the way to the finish line.

The games record is held by Boino with a time of 50.96 seconds.

More medals on offer in track and field

The first event, which is the women’s heptathlon long jump (event number 5),  will start proceedings at 3:30pm and the men’s 4x400 metres relay at 7:55pm will cap off what is expected to be another fun filled night.

Host nation Papua New Guinea are tuned up for another medal haul and with their recent dominance in the female sprints and men and women 400m clean sweep of medals,  the host venue is expected to be packed again.

In the women’s 100m and men’s 110m hurdles, PNG runners are the current champions and are clear favourites to maintain those tags.

PNG leading women’s heptathlon after 4 events

Monagi took over from New Caledonia’s Lucie Turpin.

Monagi now leads with 3039 points.

In second place is Turpin on 2935 points.

Another New Caledonian, Manuella Gavin, is in third place on 2742 points.

Ageless Boino the man to beat in hurdles

The final will be run on Friday at BSP Stadium. 

Boino ran the fastest finals qualifying time this morning, clocking 53.36 seconds in his heat, which is 2.54s faster than his nearest rival.

Running in lane one, Boino used his experience to  advantage by making up metres and sticking with the inside lane runners at the start before making his move in the final 200m bend.

Using the benefit of the inside lane, Boino overtook the runners in the last 150m with his quick turn and smooth jumps over the hurdles to make a comfortable finish.

Burua fastest, Wisil in hunt

The women’s 400m medal race will be run at the BSP Stadium at 8 tomorrow night.

The women were divided into two groups to qualify for the finals, with Papua New Guinea coming first in both heats.

Home crowd favorite Toea Wisil won the second heat, clocking 56.64 seconds which was the second fastest time from the heats.

Wisil is the defending Pacific Games champion but clocked a little slower than Burua and will have to put in the extra effort to defend her gold medal.

Wisil won the gold medal in the 2011 Pacific Games with a time of 54.94 seconds.

PNG on course for medals haul

Our 400m runners showed their class in winning the heats that were run this morning, recording the three fastest times out of the 17 runners who took to the blocks at the BSP Stadium.

The men’s final will run under the lights at 8:20pm tomorrow. Theo Piniau ran the fastest time,  stopping the clock at 48.71 seconds in the first heat setting the pace for his countrymen.

In the second heat, Kaminiel Matlaun ran a time of 49.71 seconds and Nelson Stone clocked 48.79 seconds in the final heat.

400m champ Stone raring to go

And the women’s 400m preliminary heats will take place at 10:50am.  

The Central Province man will be lining up in the 400m heat at 11:40am and is aiming to book a qualifying place in the next round.      

Stone is the Papua New Guinea national record holder in the 400m event and has dominated the event in the last 5 years in the Pacific Region, but in the XV Pacific Games he has to beat his own country men who have run good times this season.  

Kaminiel Matlaun, Veherney Babob, Martin Orovo and George Yamak will also be lining up in the heats.

Gold medalist Yao limping

The veteran Papua New Guinea distance runner appeared to have injured himself as he won the first XV Pacific Games track and field gold medal at the BSP Stadium tonight.

Turning the final 100m bend, Yao had the gold medal in sight and only had a last obstacle.

With the passionate crowd roaring in unison, PNG, PNG, Yao stumbled when jumping over the cross bar, hitting his foot.

Yao has two more events on his orogram and the foot injury could affect his chances.

Yao was seen hopping around after the medal presentation.

Athletics fans line up for tickets

Tickets are being sold for K10 per head as Games officials are getting ready to start the most "looked forward to" sports with PNG golden girl Toea Wisil leading the team.

According to athletics officials, PNG will field more than 600 athletes in different fields.

Photo: Hundreds of people lining up to buy tickets this morning  near a stall  close to the BP stadium.