Kaputin impresses in college competition

 JUMPS specialist Rellie Kaputin (pictured) is creating waves on the Junior College circuit in Iowa, USA, as a member of the Papua New Guinea squad preparing for next year’s Pacific Games.

Athletics officials in PNG are quite impressed with her progress with the East New Britain lass posting National Indoor Championship qualifying marks in the long jump, high jump and triple jumps.

 The girl from Tinganalom village is training at Northern Iowa Area Community College with nine other athletes from PNG in preparation for next year’s Pacific Games in Port Moresby.

Kaputin demonstrated her potential at the 2012 PNG Games in Kokopo and was encouraged to join the Athletics PNG Programme in Kokopo last year and was then selected for training in the USA.

“Rellie has improved in all three jumps and appears to have the National Long jump record of 5.75m in her sights,” Athletics PNG president Tony Green said.

She has jumped 5.59-metres already this season and has also done 1.63m in the high jump. 

Last weekend at Grinnell College, Rellie made a significant advance in the triple jump with a mark of 11.79m.

She is really looking forward to the National Junior College Championships which will be held in New York City from March 6-8.