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| Team PNG mens 4x400m relay team left: Theo Piniau Center: Kaminiel Matlaun and Nelson Stone after their Gold medal win |
By FIDELIS SUKINA
The 4x 400meter relay was taken away by team PNG in a
show of courage and well planned out running by both the men and women of the
athletics team.
The team of Mowen Boino, Kaminiel Matlaun, Theo Piniau and
Nelson Stone showed that it was their home ground and proved to the crowd with
a stellar performance of pace and speed, veteran Boino set the pace for the
team and the rest followed through with the same speed.
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| Nelson stone coming in for the win ahead of Pacific Sprint King Tabakaucoro |
It was the Fijians on their tail but the men from the red
black and gold had too much at stake to lose, Matlaun ran the second lap with
good pace but it was Piniau who took the speed to the next level around the
200meter bend, creating ample time for Stone to get it going for the last lap, Ratu
Banuve Tabakaucoro ran hard to beat stone but the 400meter gold medalist was
too far ahead for Tabakaucoro to catch up finishing off a thrilling feat
witnessed and cherished by the cheering crowd for years to come.
Nelson stone took back some lost pride beating his rival
Tabakaukoro in the 4x400m relay
“It was my field and I meant to destroy him in the 400meter
relay, he can beat me in the 200m but not the 400m”
Pinau was happy about his performance thanking the vocal
crowd which cheered them on
“It was intense and we had the crowd behind us and we gave
it all we had and we succeeded a great team and great effort by everyone”
Piniau said
The women’s team were the favorites as well and put in a
heartfelt effort, the team of Sharon Kwarula, Donna Koniel, Afure Anda and Toea
Wisil, started off well but the hurdler Kwarula couldn’t keep up the pace and
got beaten in the first leg.
She handed the baton to Koniel for the second leg saw
her take the lead but was passed
by Ailaiwalu Aid Rayawa of Fiji Anda the replacement
for Betty Burua who pulled a muscle in the 200m tried her best but felt short
being taken
over before handing the baton to Wisil who as expected sped around
the first bend and started to keep on the heels of Fijian Ana Baleveicau but
Wisil had the pace to beat her at the 200m bend bringing home the womens relay
team to their gold.
Anda the youngest in the team had a lot to take on but tried
her best with what little experience she had
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| Team PNG womens 4x400 meter relay team before their Gold medal performance From left: Wisil , Anda and Konniel |
“It was really inspiring I was a reserve when they told me
to come in, and I was like can someone else do it, but when I took the chance I
had to step up” Anda said
Sharon Kwarula comforted Anda and told her to do her best
and have fasith in Donna and Toea
“It’s a great feeling for all of us we didn’t come that
prepared because Betty Burua had to retire hurt, and when Afure Anda came in
she was our youngest but we told her she just had to depend on us”
“I was relying on Donna and Toea to take us home because
they had the fastest times in the 400m, and we pulled through grabbing the
gold” Kwarula said
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