Topal off to Texas to train, study

PACIFIC Games medallist in the women’s triple jump Annie Topal has secured a scholarship to attend New Mexico Highlands University in the United States.
The university is in the city of Las Vegas, New Mexico,  and their athletes compete in Division 2 of the NCAA programme.
Topal was a surprise bronze medallist at the 2015 Games, producing an 11.99m national junior record jump to finish third behind Rellie Kaputin (gold) and Milika Tuivanuavou of Fiji, who had just completed her four-year US university programme.
“Annie’s performance attracted the attention of a number of colleges,” said Athletics PNG secretary Philip Rehder.
“She will take up studies at the New Mexico Highlands University and be a member of the collegiate athletics team, as per her scholarship.”
“She will be competing against other Papua New Guinea athletes currently on athletics scholarships in the US, so it would be interesting to see how they fare against each other and the Americans,” he said.
But there are a number of requirements she needs to fulfil, including the SAT test and NCAA registration before any arrangements could be finalised. The East New Britain provincial government has also pledged to support talented athletes from the province to pursue a career in track and field athletics while studying in the US.
This follows a PEC decision last Sept endorsing a submission by Athletics PNG Inc for some assistance to its athletes studying overseas.
A joint announcement about this programme will shortly be made by APNG Inc and the office of the provincial administrator.