The Lae and Goroka based distance runners along with NSI based sprinter Pais Wisil were in Port Moresby last weekend for PNG Air Sponsored trials to gauge their progress towards the Pacific Mini Games in June.
The highlights were another high quality mens 1500m race with Aquila Turalom just getting the better of George Yamak to win in 4min 06.7 secs and a great effort from Wilford Baia in the steeplechase with a time of 9min 56.3 secs. Turalom finished second in 10mins 08 and the weekend also saw another solid 5000m performance from Dilu Goiye.
In the girls races Ongan Awa and Scholastica Herman have maintained the good form they showed at the National Championships in Kimbe last December and look set to improve their times as they move into the next phase of training.
Officials were pleased to see three girls finishing closely together in the 2000m race with Aina Goir pushing Awa all the way to the line.
With Mary Tenge also coming back to form over in Rabaul, the womens distance squad for the Games is taking shape.
Mens and Womens Discus National Record Holders DeBono Paraka and Sharon Toako also took the opportunity to gauge their own progress at this stage in their respective preparations. In the mens sprints Terrence Talio impressed in the 200m to win the race in 22.1 from Pais Wisil and then put in a strong finish to overhaul Wisil right on the line in the 300m with an excellent time of 35.4 secs.
The athletes are now looking forward to next weeks training camp at the National Sports Institute. Big thanks to PNG Air for sponsoring the athletes’s flights into the Capital.