East New Britain athletes Topal, Toako prevail in US

East New Britain athletes Annie Topal and Sharon Toako had an impressive outing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association division two national championships in Texas, United States, over the weekend.
Competing for New Mexico Highlands University, Topal won the triple jump, following in the footsteps of Rellie Kaputin who won the title two years ago, and Toako set a new Papua New Guinea record in the javelin to place fifth with a throw of 49.18m.
Topal led all the way in the triple jump with a wind-aided 13.02m but had an anxious few moments when Kaputin’s former teammate Fatim Affessi, of West Texas A&M, produced a big jump in the last round.
It matched Topal’s 13.02m, however, the PNG girl was declared the winner as her second best jump was better than Affessi’s.
With the college season now over, the pair can now focus on the Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa, where Toako will compete in javelin and discus, and Topal the jumps and 400m hurdles.