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| Tabakaucoro coming in for the record breaking win in the 200m |
By FIDELIS SUKINA
Pacific sprint King Ratu Banuve Tabakaucoro put in a
thriller of a performance saving the best for last setting a new games record
in the 200meter final.
His closest rival Papua New Guineas 400meter gold medalist
Nelson Stone came in second grabbing the silver and Theo Piniau picked up the
bronze.
From the blocks Tabakaucoro burst out and set the pace in
the race all the way to the finish clocking in 20.53 seconds, the new Games
Record for the 200m in the Pacific games.
Stone clocked and impressive 21.28 seconds and Theo Paniau
clocked in 21.37
Tabakaucoro already
planned to break the games record but hoped he would have gone for the Olympic
Qualifier
“I knew the record was going to go today despite a strong
competition by Nelson and Theo, again the crowd was great tremendous, and I am
really happy to come out with the record today”
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| Tabaulaucoro waving to the crowd |
“I was thinking of going under the Olympic qualifier but
20.50 seconds, just .03 short of the record, I tightened up a bit in the race
but that can be fixed” Tabakaucoro said
He said his next feat will be the world championships in
China where he hopes to qualify for the Olympics.
“I have the world championships in China next month, a
bigger stage with world class runners and veteran runners; it’s a good
opportunity to beat the national records for Fiji in the 200meter and 100meter and
hopefully qualify for the Olympics”
“I dedicate this win to the crowd here in Moresby and Fiji Athletics”
Tabakaucoro said
Nelson stone was disappointed but was happy the crowd was
here for the athletes of team PNG.
“People were expecting me to turn things around but it’s
really beyond my control, at the end of the day the best man wins and it was the
Fijian but team PNG is doing well because of this crowd team PNG is lifting
without such support I don’t think there would be the drive to achieve” he said
In the 100meters he came through
for his beloved Fiji, blitzing out the competition right from the start winning
gold with an impressive time of 10.55 seconds.
But it was not that easy for the young Fijian sprinter,
seeing some of his weaknesses come to light during the final.
“I am very pleased with my performance not the time I was
really expecting, but the wind wasn’t very kind to me tonight.”
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| Tabakaucoro showing the Fiji flag for a photo shoot |
“Some of my weaknesses came out tonight hopefully I can fix
that with my coach.” Tabakaucoro said
He felt he didn’t have good control of himself during the
race but was happy he got the Gold Medal.
“Coming out into the first 30 I felt I stumbled a bit but I
gained momentum in the last 50 and I felt like I tightened up too much in the
last 30.”
“It was not the time I was expecting tonight but I came away
with Gold and I am pleased with that.” Tabakaucoro
said
He said the PNG crowd was passionate and reminded him of his
home crowd, he added that he had the world championships in August to prepare
for.
“I have the World Championships in August after that we will
probably go back to the drawing board and fix, these little weaknesses” Tabakaucoro
said
Tetull Rodman of Palau came in for the silver with a time of
10.98, while Papua New Guinean and sibling to Toea Wisil Kupun Wisil settled
for bronze in a time of 11.04 seconds.
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