New Pacific sprint king to be crowned on Tuesday

The Sol2023 Pacific Games will see the crowning of a new 100m sprint king on Tuesday evening at Honiara’s National Stadium, following the retirement of reigning champion Banuve Tabakaucoro.

Monday’s preliminary rounds and three semifinal heats reduced the field to nine 100m sprint finalists for the flagship event.

Samoa’s Jeremy Dodson, who won silver at the Samoa 2019 Pacific Games and came into Sol2023 as the favourite in the absence of Tabakaucoro, unfortunately suffered a hamstring injury in his semi-final heat which saw him unable to qualify for the final.

The second of the semi-final heats was won by Wisil Pais from PNG winning. “I need to work on my technique and focus on my preparation for tomorrow’s final,” he said. “I need to have some good rest and we’ll see (how) it (goes) tomorrow.”

Winning the third semi-final heat, PNG’s Leroy Kamau said: “I have few things to take care of from today’s event and I’ll work it out tomorrow”.

The finalists and their qualifying times are Lachlan Kennedy (Australia) who qualified in 10.53 seconds, Wisil (10.63), Kamau (10.73), Calab Law of Australia (10.66), Jonny Key of Samoa (10.75), Fiji’s Waisake Tewa (10.81), Tickie Terry Mael of Vanuatu (10.83), Hayato Yoneto of New Zealand (10.87) and Joshua Daudravuni of Fiji (10.92).

The men’s 100m final is set for 7:35pm on Tuesday at the National Stadium.

By Jeffson Aghi and Donaldson Saepioh, Pacific Games News Service