Wisil tipped to lead c’ships

A TOTAL of 360 athletes from 11 centres around the country are set to compete in PNG Air National Athletics Championships at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby this weekend.
Making the most of the opportunity to participate in the championships, Port Moresby International School has entered a large team of 44 athletes.
They are one of six National Capital District teams which will be joined by contingents from Northern, Western, Morobe ,East Sepik, National Sports Institute (NSI), Chimbu, East New Britain, West New Britain, New Ireland, Lae and Lihir.
Athletics PNG (APNG) has arranged to have some of the championships live-streamed, with short sessions on tomorrow afternoon and Saturday morning’s opening hour.
Much of the Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions will also be streamed. Viewers can access the coverage on the APNG Facebook page or pngbuzz.com.
The most high-profile athlete will be Toea Wisil. Her programme in the United States earlier this year, aimed at earning selection for the Tokyo Olympic Games, was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A new group of emerging athletes are expected to shine.
Some of the centres, most notably Kimbe, have produced a large number of talented athletes who are ready to challenge the established stars.
Former representative athletes Morris Manai, Philip Kamane, Sapolai Yao, Monica Henao, Jacinta Langa, Eunice Steven, Anton Lui and Winai Waro will be among the group of key technical officials running the championships whereas many others, including Wala Gime, Nelson Stone, Wilson Malana, Kevin Kapmatana, Baobo Neuendorf, Helen Philemon, Allan Akia and Subul Babo, will be coaching athletes at the tournament.
“Many of our recent stars have not had the best opportunity to shine in 2020, but when they all come together on the all-weather track at the Sir John Guise Stadium, their talent will surely shine through,” former APNG statistician Bob Snow said yesterday.
“We are lucky to have the services of George Moramoro and his team to provide fully automatic timing.
“That and a wind gauge will ensure that the results from the three-day championships will have 100 per cent credibility.
“In the men’s sprints, we have two athletes who might be starting their rise to fame following their sensational near dead-heat in the West New Britain Championships in Kimbe last month.
“East Sepik’s Emmanuel Anis defeated Leroy Kamau (NCD) by 4/1000th of a second when both athletes clocked 10.70 seconds.
“Others to watch will be Jonathan Dende, Paias Wisil, Michael Penny, Jobby Kinzu, Terence Talio, Alphonse Igish, Lance Okie, Graham Bai, Ezekiel Nawas and Timothy Tuna.
“The heats will be very competitive.”
Dende is one of two Bougainville sprinters training at NSI. His form is good. He is coached by Samu Sasama.
Anis will be the spearhead of a large team of 21 athletes from East Sepik.
In the women’s 100m, it is likely to be an easy win for Wisil but what will be really important is her time.
Wisil is trying to climb up the world ranking in an effort to secure her place Team PNG’s Olympic contingent but her quest will depend on how fast she can run. With this in mind the wind could be a big factor.
Some of the newcomers likely to be in the final along with Wisil and Adrine Monagi are Danlyne Siliwen, Vivian Tutuai, Petty Kupu and Lenia Gilis who all ran well in Kimbe.
Monica Korowi, who won bronze in the Under-18 100m and 200m at the Oceania Championships in Townsville last year, is likely to be in the mix for a finals berth.
The men’s 200m at the WNB Championships saw a stunning 21.15s by Kamau, being the fastest time by a PNG athlete on home soil.
Expect strong competition from Daniel Baul, Dende, Bai, Anis, Tuna, Chabby Solomon and Penny.
WNB’s team of 40-plus athletes have many young competitors who are looking for another opportunity to race against the best in their age division.
Some of the young athletes will, however, compete in the open division in an effort to test their ability and skills against the best in country.
Gilis (400m), Dominica Kapapa (1500m and 3000m) and Bai (100m and 200m) are hoping to consolidate their positions in the eyes of the national selectors.
“So far this year, we have had great times from Benjamin Aliel (48.49s), Baul (48.64s) and Dende (48.96s),” Snow said.
“They were first, second and third in the WNB Championships in Kimbe.
“Bringing the best together guarantees fast times from the whole field.
“Morobe’s Emmanuel Wanga should also be watched closely. He has been entered in the 200m and 400m events.
“An in-form Kamau will also fancy his chances in the 400m, especially after running 48.2s last weekend in Port Moresby and this could come down to a showdown between Kamau and his training partner Baul, PNG’s fastest last year with a time of 47.31s.”
The women’s 400m has a large range of newcomers to the sport.
The standout so far is 15-year-old Gilis who won the event in the WNB championships with a time of 59.34s, narrowly from Morobe’s Edna Boafob (59.70s).
Petty Kupu (59.64) won the U18 event. WNB has three other athletes who are just about to break the 60s barrier – Melisah Suambu (60.1s), Roslyn Madi (60.2s) and Hika Kasau (60.2s).
Boafob should perform well in the 200m and 400m.
The men’s 800m will be another hot contest. New Ireland’s Sialis Passingan and East New Britain’s Adolf Kauba are the only athletes to break two minutes this year and their times are within 1/10th of a second.
Some of the top 400m runners might try their luck as well, as they have proved good at the 800m distance in the past.
The standouts of the middle and long distance events this year are those who are being trained in ENB under Bernard Manau.
His group includes Siune Kagl, James Kuadua, Israel Takap (fastest in PNG this year over the 15,00m) and Monica Kalua.
The dual between Kagl and Takap in the 1,500m promises to be one of the highlights of the championships, and the inclusion of George Yamak and Chimbu’s Abel Siune adds even more quality to the event.
Kagl is in scintillating form and reportedly ran very close to breaking Sapolai Yao’s 3,000m national record of eight minutes, 45 seconds recently.
As such, he is predicted to lead the field home in the 5,000m and 10,000m.
If he enters the 1,500m, it will be interesting to see his clash with fellow squad member Takap.
In a recent 1,500m event in Kimbe, Takap beat Siune by 23/100th of a second. Kagl is better suited to the longer distances.
Siune defeated favourite Simbai Kaspar in the 1,500m the last time the national championships were held in Port Moresby (2018).
National rep representative Lyanne Tibu will be a member of the NSI team and will compete in the 800m and 1,500m.
Officials expect the clash between Chimbu’s top distance runner Jemima Mondo and ENB’s Monica Kalua in the 3,000m and 5,000m to be one of the highlights of the women’s track competition.
With top jumpers currently overseas – Rellie Kaputin in Australia, and Peniel Richard and Annie Topal in the US – the competition is heating up.
In the men’s long jump in Kimbe, Port Moresby’s Eldan Toti (6.94m) defeated Morobe’s Steven Ray (6.80m), to set up a good clash in the nationals, though it is reported that Ray is doubtful starter due to injury.
Kenneth Harrison and Ryan Elijah (ENB) are the emerging talents to watch.
Harrison won the U18 long jump last year with a leap of 6.27m, relegating Ryan Elijah to second. Their duel continues.
The best women in the long jump are WNB’s Danlyne Siliwen (4.78m) and ENB’s Vivian Tutuai (4.75m).
They look to be the pick of the field. Many young athletes are in the 4.50m range, and it is hoped that some of them will rise to the occasion this weekend.
PNG’s top female thrower Sharon Toako is expected to compete in the javelin and discus, with Jacklyn Travertz concentrating on the hammer throw.
She has progressed significantly since her debut in the 2015 Pacific Games. Travertz won the bronze at last year’s Samoa Pacific Games with a throw of 47.99m.
Pacific Games representative Lakona Gerega (bronze in javelin in Apia) had a personal best of 64.89m last year which was a national record, and big things are expected of him in the years ahead.
The next three days will give the national selectors the opportunity to see how the athletes are going, and start to plan for future PNG teams.