Pictured: Leonie Beu (Supplied Image)
Competition for the single place available to Athletics PNG at the Paris Olympics is heating up with sprinter Leonie Beu setting a new personal best of 11.68 seconds in the 100m in Nashville Tennessee on Saturday.
This followed a season’s best 23.63sec in the 200m on Saturday which was slightly wind assisted (+2.3mps) and two very good 400m timing of 54.25secs recently.
Hurdler Adrine Monagi has also been in fine form recently setting a new National Record in the 100m hurdles.
Qualification standards in athletics are incredibly high, and unless one of our athletes can somehow raise their performance level significantly, then PNG can only nominate an athlete for the 100m event.
This is due to new qualification rules in athletics which states that countries with no qualified athletes nominating an athlete under the Universality rule can only nominate for the 100m or the Marathon.
For both Monagi and Beu the 100m is not their main event but under Athletics PNG selection policy, the selectors will consider their performances in both the 100m and in their own events before making a decision who to nominate for the 100m.
Isila Apkup and Pais Wisil are also vying for that one spot and with the Australian season over and the US season drawing to a close next month, all eyes will be on Suva in the first week of June.
Fiji is hosting a Continental Bronze level meet on June 1 where the athletes will have the opportunity to run in quality 100m races and this will be followed by the Oceania Championships from June 4 to 8 this year.
