2007 Melanesian Championships in Athletics
# 2007 Melanesian Championships in Athletics

The 2007 Melanesian Championships in Athletics took place between August 14–19, 2007. The event was held at the Barlow Park in Cairns, Australia, jointly with the OAA Grand Prix Series. Many athletes utilised the competitions preparing for the upcoming IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan. Detailed reports were given for the OAA.

A total of 38 events were contested, 19 by men and 19 by women.

## Medal summary

Complete results can be found on the Oceania Athletics Association webpage, and at sportfieber.pytalhost.com.

In high jump, long jump and triple jump, as well as in shot put, discus throw, and javelin throw, there were separate open competitions for the Melanesian championships and the OAA Grand Prix Series held on different days. In the sprint events, athletes not competing for the Melanesian Championships were assigned to the B finals.

### Men

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 100 metres (wind: -2.4 m/s) | Otis Gowa Jump Start Australia | 10.76 | Moses Kamut Vanuatu | 10.88 | Wally Kirika Papua New Guinea | 10.92 |
| 100 metres (wind: -1.6 m/s) Open B (Grand Prix Series) | James Dolphin New Zealand | 10.72 | Chris Donaldson New Zealand | 10.73 | Henry Ben Papua New Guinea | 11.10 |
| 200 metres (wind: -2.7 m/s) | Niko Verekauta Fiji | 21.26 | Iliesa Namosimalua Fiji | 21.42 | Moses Kamut Vanuatu | 21.57 |
| 200 metres (wind: -1.0 m/s) Open B (Grand Prix Series) | James Dolphin New Zealand | 21.15 | Andrew Yong / North Queensland | 22.21 | Nelson Kabitana Solomon Islands | 22.39 |
| 400 metres | Iliesa Namosimalua Fiji | 47.30 CR | Niko Verekauta Fiji | 47.31 | Nelson Stone Papua New Guinea | 48.44 |
| 800 $metres^{1.)}$ | Isireli Naikelekelevesi Fiji | 1:51.73 CR | Arnold Sorina Vanuatu | 1:55.04 | Paulson Gebo Papua New Guinea | 1:56.29 |
| 1500 $metres^{2.)}$ | Isireli Naikelekelevesi Fiji | 4:04.55 CR | Sapolai Yao Papua New Guinea | 4:05.25 | Rodney Rapasi Solomon Islands | 4:10.67 |
| 5000 metres | Sapolai Yao Papua New Guinea | 15:46.95 | Philip Nausien Vanuatu | 16:04.55 | Rodney Rapasi Solomon Islands | 16:51.80 |
| 10000 metres | Philip Nausien Vanuatu | 35:01.83 | Chris Votu Solomon Islands | 36:09.77 | Rodney Rapasi Solomon Islands | 47:52.14 |
| 110 metres hurdles (wind: -0.7 m/s) | Jovesa Naivalu Fiji | 14.71 CR | Luke Devenish Australia | 15.09 | Sam Giatrakos Australia | 15.41 |
| 400 metres hurdles | Mowen Boino Papua New Guinea | 51.43 CR | Jone Wainiqolo Fiji | 53.01 | Wala Gime Papua New Guinea | 54.86 |
| 3000 metres steeplechase | Sapolai Yao Papua New Guinea | 9:43.07 CR | Rodney Rapasi Solomon Islands | 10:39.37 | Chris Votu Solomon Islands | 11:02.78 |
| High Jump | Rajendra Prasad Fiji | 2.00m =CR | Ben Rickards Australia | 2.00m | Sam Giatrakos Australia | 1.80m |
| High Jump Open (Grand Prix Series) | Rajendra Prasad Fiji | 1.95m | Nicholas Murchie / North Queensland | 1.90m | | |
| Long Jump | Rodney Blair Jump Start Australia | 7.05m (wind: +1.4 m/s) | Hamish Nelson Australia | 6.94m (wind: +1.9 m/s) | Nicholas Murchie / North Queensland | 6.89m w (wind: +3.0 m/s) |
| Long Jump Open (Grand Prix Series) | Julius Nymbane / North Queensland | 7.46m | Rodney Blair Jump Start Australia | 6.99m | Eroni Tuivanuavou Fiji | 6.82m |
| Triple $Jump^{3.)}$ | Eugene Vollmer Fiji | 14.66m (wind: +1.5 m/s) CR | Mong Taval Papua New Guinea | 13.91m (wind: +0.6 m/s) | | |
| Triple Jump Open (Grand Prix Series) | Eugene Vollmer Fiji | 14.35m w (wind: +2.2 m/s) | Mong Taval Papua New Guinea | 13.82m w (wind: +3.0 m/s) | Buraieta Yeeting Kiribati | 13.48m w (wind: +2.3 m/s) |
| Shot $Put^{4.)}$ | Travis Ambrum / North Queensland | 12.38m | Luke Devenish Australia | 11.50m | Hamish Nelson Australia | 10.44m |
| Shot Put Open (Grand Prix Series) | Travis Ambrum / North Queensland | 12.89m | Luke Poli / North Queensland | 12.58m | Raymond Abdy / North Queensland | 9.31m |
| Discus $Throw^{5.)}$ | Luke Poli / North Queensland | 44.79m CR | Brendan Peeters Jump Start Australia | 37.64m | | |
| Hammer Throw | Robert Grimaldi New Caledonia | 36.90m | Geoffrey Gardner Norfolk Island | 33.12m | Barry Mullins / North Queensland | 28.49m |
| Javelin $Throw^{6.)}$ | Drew Potts / North Queensland | 54.43m | Sam Giatrakos Australia | 44.87m | Ben Rickards Australia | 38.64m |
| Javelin Throw Open (Grand Prix Series) | Stuart Farquhar New Zealand | 77.65m | Leonard Tonhoueri New Caledonia | 52.91m | Dexter Dillay Northern Mariana Islands | 47.26m |
| 4 x 100 metres relay | Papua New Guinea Jorim Emmanuel Wally Karika Henry Ben Peter Pulu | 41.52 | Fiji Timoci Momolevu Iowane Dovumatua William McGoon Filipo Delai | 41.77 | Solomon Islands Nelson Kabitana Jack Iroga Adison Alfred Chris Walasi | 42.75 |
| 4 x 400 metres relay | Fiji Iliesa Namosimalua Isireli Naikelekelevesi William McGoon Niko Verekauta | 3:16.23 CR | Papua New Guinea Nelson Stone Levi Albert Waname Egora Fabian Niulai | 3:18.38 | Vanuatu Arnold Sorina Kepsin Abraham Jimmy Kassiley Sam Kaiapam | 3:24.36 |

$^{1.)}:$ The 800 metres event was won by Aunese Curreen from Samoa in 1:50.59 running as a guest. $^{2.)}:$ The 1500 metres event was won by Aunese Curreen from Samoa in 3:56.11 running as a guest. $^{3.)}:$ In the triple jump event, Buraieta Yeeting from Kiribati was 3rd in 13.36m (wind: +0.6 m/s) competing as a guest. $^{4.)}:$ The shot put event was won by Salesi Ahokovi from Tonga in 12.55m competing as a guest. $^{5.)}:$ In the discus throw event, Travis Ambrum from / North Queensland was 2nd in 42.30m competing as a guest. $^{6.)}:$ The javelin throw event was won by Stuart Farquhar from New Zealand in 77.58m, Dexter Dillay from the Northern Mariana Islands was 3rd in 45.37m, both competing as guests.

### Women

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 100 metres (wind: -1.8 m/s) | Mae Koime Papua New Guinea | 11.91 | Toea Wisil Papua New Guinea | 12.05 | Raphaela Baki Papua New Guinea | 12.31 |
| 100 metres (wind: -1.3 m/s) Open B (Grand Prix Series) | Sally McLellan Australia | 11.76 | Ana Smythe New Zealand | 12.12 | Eunice Steven Papua New Guinea | 13.08 |
| 200 metres (wind: +0.4 m/s) | Makelesi Bulikiobo Fiji | 23.36 CR | Mae Koime Papua New Guinea | 24.08 | Toea Wisil Papua New Guinea | 24.23 |
| 200 metres (wind: +0.4 m/s) Open B (Grand Prix Series) | Ana Smythe New Zealand | 24.07 | Melissa Johnson / North Queensland | 26.10 | Elis Lapenmal Vanuatu | 26.51 |
| 400 $metres^{7.)}$ | Makelesi Bulikiobo Fiji | 53.66 CR | Paulini Korowaqa Fiji | 58.48 | Torika Odro Fiji | 59.14 |
| 800 metres | Salome Dell Papua New Guinea | 2:14.67 CR | Ann Mooney Papua New Guinea | 2:15.29 | Cecilia Kumalalamene Papua New Guinea | 2:17.26 |
| 1500 metres | Salome Dell Papua New Guinea | 4:50.39 CR | Cecilia Kumalalamene Papua New Guinea | 4:56.38 | Poro Gahekave Papua New Guinea | 5:00.29 |
| 5000 metres | Poro Gahekave Papua New Guinea | 18:58.10 CR | Florence Tina Solomon Islands | 20:52.20 | | |
| 10000 metres | Florence Tina Solomon Islands | 47:52.22 | | | | |
| 100 metres hurdles (wind: -0.7 m/s) | Rebecca Robinson Australia | 16.02 | | | | |
| 400 metres $hurdles^{8.)}$ | Sharon Henry Papua New Guinea | 63.24 CR | Shannon McCann Jump Start Australia | 65.55 | Heidi Van Lint / North Queensland | 74.84 |
| 3000 metres steeplechase | Poro Gahekave Papua New Guinea | 11:54.71 | | | | |
| High Jump | Ashleigh Reid Australia | 1.70m CR | Tara Whitehead / North Queensland | 1.65m | Nellie Leslie Papua New Guinea | 1.60m |
| High Jump Open (Grand Prix Series) | Tara Whitehead / North Queensland | 1.66m | Emma Fletcher / North Queensland | 1.60m | Delilah Kami Papua New Guinea | 1.55m |
| Long Jump | Soko Salaniqiqi Fiji | 5.78m w (wind: +2.8 m/s) | Makelesi Tumalevu Fiji | 5.66m w (wind: +2.6 m/s) | Tara Whitehead / North Queensland | 5.54m w (wind: +2.3 m/s) |
| Long Jump Open (Grand Prix Series) | Soko Salaniqiqi Fiji | 5.84m (wind: NWI) | Katie Cox / North Queensland | 5.52m (wind: NWI) | Makelesi Tumalevu Fiji | 5.50m (wind: NWI) |
| Triple Jump | Tara Whitehead / North Queensland | 11.80m (wind: +0.5 m/s) CR | Soko Salaniqiqi Fiji | 11.72m w (wind: +2.1 m/s) | Adriana Myrteza / North Queensland | 10.52m (wind: +1.3 m/s) |
| Triple Jump Open (Grand Prix Series) | Tara Whitehead / North Queensland | 12.02m w (wind: +2.7 m/s) | Soko Salaniqiqi Fiji | 11.52m (wind: +1.1 m/s) | Adriana Myrteza / North Queensland | 10.39m (wind: +0.9 m/s) |
| Shot $Put^{9.)}$ | Brittany Knee Australia | 10.77m CR | Rebecca Robinson Australia | 10.56m | | |
| Shot Put Open (Grand Prix Series) | Valerie Vili New Zealand | 19.06m | Ana Po'uhila Tonga | 16.87m | Cheryl LeBrun / North Queensland | 4.34m |
| Discus $Throw^{10.)}$ | Rebecca Robinson Australia | 34.12m CR | | | | |
| Discus Throw Open (Grand Prix Series) | Beatrice Faumuina New Zealand | 58.08m | Rebecca Robinson Australia | 35.96m | Cheryl LeBrun / North Queensland | 14.24m |
| Hammer $Throw^{11.)}$ | Suzy Vercoe Norfolk Island | 34.44m | Brittany Knee Australia | 26.67m | | |
| Javelin $Throw^{12.)}$ | Sisilia Lau Fiji | 39.31m | Rebecca Robinson Australia | 33.66m | | |
| Javelin Throw Open (Grand Prix Series) | Serafina Akeli Samoa | 48.33m | Sisilia Lau Fiji | 42.38m | Cheryl LeBrun / North Queensland | 10.51m |
| 4 x 100 metres $relay^{13.)}$ | Papua New Guinea Eunice Steven Jacinta Langa Cecilia Kumalalamene Raphaela Baki | 48.68 | Solomon Islands Lisa Flory Pauline Kwalea Jenny Keni Joycelyn Taurikeni | 52.07 | | |
| 4 x 400 metres relay | Papua New Guinea Ann Mooney Sharon Henry Eunice Steven Toea Wisil | 3:54.12 CR | Fiji Sera Mereula Paulini Korowaqa Alena Vadrasamu Torika Odro | 3:58.96 | / North Queensland Jacqueline Stresing Heidi Van Lint Megan McCaul Melissa Johnson | 4:11.98 |

$^{7.)}:$ In the 400 metres event, Toea Wisil from Papua New Guinea was 2nd in 55.66 running as a guest. $^{8.)}:$ The 400 metres hurdles event was won by Jacqueline Stresing from / North Queensland in 63.17 running as a guest. $^{9.)}:$ The shot put event was won by Valerie Vili from New Zealand in 20.03m, Ana Po'uhila from Tonga was 2nd in 16.49m, both competing as guests. $^{10.)}:$ In the discus throw event, Cheryl LeBrun from / North Queensland was 2nd in 13.63m competing as a guest. $^{11.)}:$ The hammer throw event was won by Ana Po'uhila from Tonga in 41.11m, Serafina Akeli from Samoa was 3rd in 29.55m, both competing as guests. $^{12.)}:$ The javelin throw event was won by Serafina Akeli from Samoa in 49.63m competing as a guest. $^{13.)}:$ In the 4x100 metres relay event, a team from Australia (Brittany Knee, Sarah Mackaway, Ashleigh Reid, Rebecca Robinson) was 2nd in 50.26 running as guests.

### Mixed

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Discus Throw Mixed Open | Beatrice Faumuina New Zealand | 57.69m | Ana Po'uhila Tonga | 46.76m | Travis Ambrum / North Queensland | 41.83m |

## Medal table (unofficial)

* Host nation ( North Queensland)

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Fiji (FIJ) | 12 | 8 | 1 | 21 |
| 2 | Papua New Guinea (PNG) | 12 | 7 | 9 | 28 |
| 3 | Australia (AUS) | 4 | 8 | 4 | 16 |
| 4 | North Queensland* | 4 | 1 | 6 | 11 |
| 5 | Jump Start Australia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Solomon Islands (SOL) | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| 7 | Vanuatu (VAN) | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 8 | Norfolk Island (NFK) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | New Caledonia (NCL) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals (9 entries) | Totals (9 entries) | 38 | 34 | 27 | 99 |

## Participation

The participation of athletes from 7 countries and 6 guest countries from Oceania was reported. In addition, two local teams comprising athletes from the organizing Athletics North Queensland (ANQ) (representing North Queensland) and from the Athletics Australia's Jump Start program for indigenous athletes ("Jump Start Australia") competed.

* Australia
* Fiji
* Jump Start Australia
* New Caledonia
* Norfolk Island
* / North Queensland
* Papua New Guinea
* Solomon Islands
* Vanuatu

Guest countries from Micronesia and Polynesia:

* Kiribati
* Nauru
* New Zealand
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Samoa
* Tonga
