PNG Athletics

Whilst the Cloud County based athletes in Kansas had a relatively quiet weekend ahead of their regional championships this coming weekend, jumpers Roland Hure and Annie Topal both posted excellent performances.

Competing at an Open Meet in Indianola, Iowa, Hure jumped a personal best of 7.25m in the long jump; which is just one centimetre outside the national record set by Peniel Richard last year.

He also ran an impressive 10.77secs in the 100m, signaling to the PNG team coaches that he wants to be considered for the 4*100m relay at the Games.

Competing on their home track in the city of Concordia the athletes continued their excellent recent form with Leroy Kamau again leading the way and with Isila Apkup and Shadrick Tansi also posting great performances.

Kamau followed up a wind assisted 10.36 sec clocking in the 100m (+4.7) with a sensational 20.85seconds in the 200m. The following wind (measured at 3.3metres per second) meant that this cannot be recognised as a national record but it is once again as sign that Kamau is heading for something special in the near future.

His top performance has moved him from thirteenth place to eighth on the PNG All Time Best performance list for the 400m. Only Nelson Stone, Subul Babo, Baobo Neuendorf, Geoffrey Bai, Clement Abai, Takale Tuna and Daniel Baul have recorded faster times.

Competing in the same heat, Jonathan Dende posted an excellent 48.75 seconds just outside his personal best of 48.74 run at the PNG Air Grand Prix in Port Moresby last year.

Fellow Morobean athlete Leonie Beu is also in great form, clocking 56.09 seconds in the 400m.

Roland Hure will compete in the long jump for South Western Community College (Iowa) whereas the Cloud County team will include Leonie Beu, Isila Apkup, Emmanuel Wanga, Shadrick Tansi, Jonathan Dende and Alphonse Igish.

The Cloud teams are on a high after winning the men's regional indoor team title last weekend for the fourth year running, and the women's title for the second year in succession.

Emmanuel Wanga and Leonie Beu have been the standout athletes this season, excelling in both 400m and 600m.

In Athletics seven athletes are undergoing intensive training overseas to reach the qualifying standards.