PNG show quality at Queensland athletics meet

THE Queensland Athletics Championship concluded yesterday in Brisbane after four days of competition which saw some mixed results for PNG athletes that took part.
Apart from Aquila Turalom’s record-breaking steeplechase run on Thursday, the top performers were William Peka in the 400m hurdles, Adrine Monagi with personal best times in the 100m and 100m hurdles and Benjamin Aliel, making the final in a competitive 200m in Australia.
Pacific Games silver medalist Peka put in a strong finish to claim the silver medal in the 400m hurdles in a time of 54.39 seconds despite starting cautiously.
Monagi, who had been laid low by a viral infection after returning from the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, ran a personal best 11.96s in the 100m final and equaled her 100m hurdles personal best of 13.73s in finishing fourth in the women’s event of the Championship.
After a disappointing run in the 400m heats, Aliel showed his qualities in the 200m yesterday running 21.94s in round one and a personal best of 21.52s in the semifinal of the meet.
He went to better his timing in the final, finishing fifth with a personal best time of 21.43s which takes him to ninth place on the all-time best list.
Sharon Toako won silver in javelin with a throw of 44.41m.
The competition ended on a high for PNG with personal best times in the 1,500m for both Scholastica Herman (4min 44.70secs) and U18 athlete Suaire Goiye (5min 26.63) and a silver medal for Karo Iga in the long jump with a seasons best 6.77m
Meanwhile, Rellie Kaputin’s hopes of a good performance after some very good training sessions this month were dashed by the recurrence of a niggling hamstring strain which forced her to withdraw from the long jump competition after three rounds.