Athletics Fiji held their 3rd and final trials for the 2017 Mini Pacific Games (MPG) over the weekend (16/09/2017) and the highlight of the trials was Shawntell Lockington’s record high jump of 1.71m in the open women’s final. The Xavier College high jump sensation had been threatening the old record of 1.70m all season with a 1.66m at the Coke Games earlier on in the year and a 1.68m at the first Athletics Fiji MPG trials. The old record of 1.70m was set back in 1995 by Mereani White and was beaten by Lockington by 1cm, this performance extends Lockington’s national ranking and has put her 1cm behind Pacific leader Rellie Kaputin of PNG who has recorded a season’s best of 1.72m.
Club teammate Miriama Senokonoko was also in top form in the women’s triple jump final bounding out to a MPG A qualifying and national leading of 11.80m surpassing Asinate Kasowaqa who held the leading jump for over half a year. This performance has also moved Senokonoko up the 2017 pacific island ranking to 2nd behind PNG’s Rellie Kaputin. Not to be outdone, Sovaia Vusona also jumped a MPG A qualifying of 5.47m moving her up the 2017 Pacific Island Rankings to 3rd behind PNG’s Adrine Monagi and Rellie Kaputin.
Kaiwalu, Vollmer and Bulivorovoro maintained their dominance in the jumps as well Setareki Matau in the discus throw with all 4 athletes not facing much competition however the story was fairly different in the men’s javelin with number 1 and number 2 nationally ranked Pita Tamani and Amania Isa going head to head, Isa getting the upper hand with a 61.81m.
There wasn’t much impressive performance from the tracks with the absence of the Asian Indoor athletes who left on Wednesday for Turkmenistan, we will be bringing regular updates on their performances throughout the week.
For competition results, click here.