PNG athletes in US continue form with great performances

IT was another windy day in Kansas, United States, last Saturday (Sunday morning), but that didn’t stop Papua New Guinea athletes from posting some more outstanding performances.
Competing on their home track in the city of Concordia, the athletes continued their excellent recent form with Leroy Kamau again leading the way and with Isila Apkup and Shadrick Tansi also posting great performances.
Kamau followed up a wind-assisted 10.36 secconds’ clocking in the 100m (+4.7) with a sensational 20.85s in the 200m.
The following wind (measured at 3.3m per second) meant that this can’t be recognised as a national record, but it is once again as sign that Kamau is heading for something special in the near future.
Emmanuel Anis finished third in this race in 21.44s with Emmanuel Wanga fourth (21.47s).
Shadrick Tansi also returned to form after a low-key month, winning the 400m in 48.42s after battling a strong headwind in the home straight.
Jonathan Dende finished third in this race with 48.96s.
Meanwhile, Isila Apkup also ran well and caused an upset to win the 200m in 24.01s (+4.7).
Considering that she had already run a 4x100m relay and a 400m race, this really was an outstanding result.
Meanwhile, in Iowa, Roland Hure maintained his consistent long jump form with another effort over 7m, this time 7.06m.
The Kansas-based athletes have one more competition this weekend hosted by Butler Community College in El Dorado before their regional championships the following weekend.
Butler have some very fast men’s runners, so Kamau and Anis will be hoping that this strong competition will push them to record faster times.