In the men’s 200m Jeremy Dodson broke the Pacific Island record and also set a new National Record for Samoa, after running the 200m in 20.57. Dodson impressive victory on Friday saw him cut 0.44 seconds from the record. Tabakaucoro, who set the record broken by Dodson, also improved upon his previous record, running the 200m in a time of 20.68 but was beaten to the line by the Samoan.
Samoa’s Alexander Rose set a new Samoan national record in the Men’s Discus, in an exhilarating event. The Oceania Record, set by Rose in June 2012, was broken three times in the event, twice by Rose and once by New Zealander Marshall Hall. Rose broke his initial record by 84 centimetres on his first throw. This was then bettered by Hall, who received a personal best after throwing 57.43 to break the newly set record by 30 centimetres. However, it was Rose’s third throw that stole the show. The Samoan threw a massive 60.95 metres, to add another 3.52 metres to the record.
Kiribati’s David Birati set a new National High Jump record, clearing the bar at 1.95 metres. Papua New Guinea’s Rama Kumilgo set a National Record in the Women’s 2000m Steeplechase, completing the event in 7:13.8. In the Women’s 200m both Federated States of Micronesia’s Lihen Jonas and Guam’s Regine Tugade set National Records. Jonas completed the sprint in 27.44 seconds, whilst Tugade finish in 25.51 seconds.
In the Men’s 400m Hurdles Michael Cochrane from New Zealand broke the Oceania Record. Cochrane broke the record, which was set by Papua New Guinea’s Mowen Boino eight and a half years ago, by 0.93 seconds. The new record now stands at 50.69 seconds.
Papua New Guinea’s Rama Kumilgo completed a trifecta in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase, winning gold and setting a new national, and Oceania record. Kumilgo’s time of 11:10.48 shaved almost four seconds of the precious record, set in 2010. Sharon Firisua from the Solomon Island also set a new national record with a time of 11:27.42.
In the Men’s 100m Fiji’s Banuve Tabakaucoro broke the Championship Record and set a new national record, after running 10.22 seconds to win gold. Silver medallist Jeremy Dodson set a new national record for Samoa, after he ran 10.36 seconds.
Samoa’s Jeremy Dodson broke the Men’s 200m Oceania record, shaving 0.44 seconds off the previous record which had stood for almost four years. Dodson also broke the national record for Samoa. Fiji’s Banuve Tabakaucoro also set a new national record after crossing the line in second with a time of 20.68 seconds.
In the Girl’s Triple Jump, 16 year old Mikaela Bretz from Australia set a new Oceania record with her only successful jump. Brentz jump of 12.41m was 54 centimetres longer than the previous record, set by Melissa Tucker in 1997, two years before Bretz was even born.
Records also tumbled in the Girl’s High Jump, with Regional Australia’s Kimberley Jenner breaking the Oceania record by just one centimetre. With the previous record standing at 1.75m, and remaining unbroken for almost nine years, Jenner attempted to clear the bar at 1.76m. Although failing to clear the bar on the first two occassions, it proved to be third time lucky for Jenner who secured the record with a jump of 1.76m.
Regional Australia’s John Dodds took out gold in the Men’s high jump with a jump of 2.06m. The 16 year old’s jump was his personal best, and an Oceania record, and secured him the win.
In the Boy’s 110m hurdles Australia’s Brandon Herrigan broke a 16 year Oceania record by 0.35 seconds, to finish with a time of 13.84 and win gold. In the Girl’s 110m hurdles 17 year old Emily Bass broke the Oceania record by 0.08 seconds. The Australian finished with a time of 64.69, breaking the record and winning gold.
In the relays records were broken in both the Girls 4×100 and 4×400 metre relays, as well as the Boy’s 4x100m relay. The Australian 4x100m team, comprised of Katie Colebourne, Emily Bass, Samantha Johnson and Hayley Heel, ran a time of 49.15 seconds. This effort not only won them the gold medal, but took more than a second and a half off the original time of 50.73 seconds.
The Australian girls in the 4x400m relay also put in a great performance, setting a new Oceania record. Nicola Botwell, Maxine Paholek, Hannah Schlecht and Caroline Higham ran a time of 4:01.89, taking almost a second off the record and finishing almost 12 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
The Boy’s 4x100m was again taken out by Australia, who stripped an impressive 2.63 seconds off the Oceania record, which was set by New Zealand in 2013. The team of Ben Mackay, Johnathon Taylor, Brandon Herrigan and Jarrod Twigg ran a time of 42.47 seconds to set the new record and win gold.