Athlete returns to US for studies after 2yr break

TRIPLE and long jump national record holder Peniel Richard returns to the United States this week to complete his studies after a two-year break.
Richard has secured a full athletic scholarship to attend West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, where he aims to complete his degree in kinesiology.
He becomes the fourth Papua New Guinea athlete to attend the university after Sharon Kwarula, Rellie Kaputin and Theo Piniau.
“Peniel decided to return home in 2017 for personal reasons,” Athletics PNG president Tony Green said in a statement.
“But his consistently good performances in big meets since then has resulted in this great opportunity for him to return to the US to complete his studies and continue his athletic career.
“It is a great university. We are thankful to head coach Matt Stewart and his staff for looking after our athletes.”
Richard first set the national record by jumping 15.35m in the US in 2017 and improved it to 15.45m when he won gold at the Pacific Mini Games in Vanuatu.
He further improved it to 15.51m last year at the Samoa Pacific Games, missing out by just 2cm to his great rival Eugene Vollmer, from Fiji, himself a former US college athlete.
Vollmer also edged Richard for gold at the 2015 Games by just 5cm.
A versatile athlete, Richard won the high jump silver and long jump bronze in Apia last year and also won the high jump silver in Vanuatu 2017.
His 2015 Games campaign was cut short after he injured himself in the pole vault.