It was another windy day in Kansas last Saturday (Sunday morning PNG time) but that didn’t stop the PNG athletes from posting some more outstanding performances.
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.
Emmanuel Anis finished third in this race in 21.44 seconds with Emmanuel Wanga fourth (21.47). Shadrick Tansi also returned to form after a low-key month, winning the 400m in 48.42 seconds after battling a strong headwind in the home straight.
Jonathan Dende, finished third in this race with 48.96. Meanwhile Isila Apkup is also running very well and caused an upset to win the 200m in 24.01 seconds (+4.7). Considering that she had already run a 4*100m relay and a 400m race this really was an outstanding result.
Meanwhile, over in Iowa Roland Hure maintained his consistent long jump form with another effort over 7metres, this time 7.06m.
The Kansas based athletes have one more competition this weekend hosted by Butler Community College in El Dorado before their Regional Championships the following weekend.
Butler have some very fast runners in the men’s sprints so both Kamau and Anis will be hoping that this strong competition will push them to faster times.