… Federation Failures Exposed at Oceania Championship

BY ELTON LONARATHA JNR

NATIONAL athletics athletes have described their recent trip to the Oceania Athletics Championship in Fiji as disastrous, highlighting the need for better organization and support from the federation. Female sprinter Jovita Ambrose Arunia voiced concerns about the federation’s shortcomings, which she said adversely affected the athletes’ performance.

Before the Oceania Athletics Championship 2024 began in Laucala last week, Arunia departed early to attend a leadership course organized by Oceania. Following Arunia, Julian Sosimo competed on the first day of the Championship on June 1st, while the rest of the team left Honiara on the same day Sosimo competed in the Women’s Heptathlon Pole Vault event.

Arunia expressed that the trip was poorly organized and that the team lacked adequate support. “I departed for Fiji to attend a Wellbeing and Leadership course. After completing the course and receiving my certificate, I went to the game venue only to find that we didn’t have a coach to accompany our first representative, Sosimo. I had to take up the leadership role to guide and prepare Sosimo with her warm-up drills for her Heptathlon event because the coach had not yet arrived,” Arunia said.

She added that assuming the coaching role was challenging as she was also competing on the same day. “I failed to finish my race with good timings because there was no proper preparation back home. Our coaches failed to turn up during training days. Additionally, the federation has yet to resolve its issue with the National Sports Council (NSC), affecting our preparations for the Championship,” she explained.

Many athletes are unhappy with the federation’s failure to pay its affiliation fee with the NSC, which has impacted their preparation for regional and international competitions. Arunia emphasized that most athletes feel neglected and that the federation is not taking their preparation seriously.

Despite these setbacks, Athletics coach Korinihona told SunSPORTS he was proud of the athletes’ performances and results at the Championship. “I’m satisfied with the results of the athletes during the Oceania Athletics Championship 2024 in Fiji. It was a tough Championship, especially for teams like Australia and New Zealand, due to the strong headwind conditions at Laucala, making it difficult to achieve qualifying times for the Paris Summer Olympics this year,” coach Korinihona said.

He added, “Regardless of the challenges, the athletes delivered their best, and it’s a good build-up for the Palau Games next year, which is 12 months away.”

Arunia noted that the federation must take the athletes’ concerns seriously to improve future performances. “The federation needs to step up for the sake of the athletes. Proper preparation and support are crucial for us to compete effectively in such important events,” she said.

The athletes’ experiences underscore the importance of organizational support in sports. With improved coordination and attention to athletes’ needs, the federation can help ensure that future competitions are more successful and less stressful for all involved.

As the team looks ahead to the Palau Games next year, the focus will be on building on the lessons learned from this experience. Ensuring that the athletes have the necessary support and preparation will be key to achieving better results and fostering a more positive environment for their development and performance.

Team Athletics returned home safely on Sunday with promising results. Highlights included:

-Luke Haga achieved a Season Best (SB) of 11:48 in the men’s 100M and 22:92 in the men’s 200M.

-Smith Sepoka registered two Personal Bests (PB), clocking 11:52 in the men’s 100M and 23:31 in the men’s 200M.

-Jovita Ambrose earned a Season Best of 13:13 in the Women’s 100M.

-Stephen Rahuasi completed his events with a PB and SB, clocking 4:07:77 in the men’s 1500M and 1:54:92 in the men’s 800M.

-Julian Sosimo earned Bronze in the Pole Vault.

-Long-distance runners Martin Faeni and Diana Matakali secured Gold in the 10,000KM road race.

…….. Federation Let Down Para Athletes in Fiji

BY ELTON LONARATHA JNR

NATIONAL para athletes who recently competed at the Oceania Athletics Championship in Fiji have expressed frustration over the lack of support from the federation, particularly concerning allowances. The team comprised Nipson Ologa (Track Events), Breeze Pita (Seated Throws), Rose Lydia (Seated Throws), and Cosmol Maefolia (Track and Throws), and was accompanied by Para Athletics Team Manager Danny Vabo.

The athletes felt demotivated by the federation’s failure to provide allowances, emphasizing that they deserve fair treatment. The perceived lack of care and support from the federation significantly affected their performance at regional and international events.

National female sprinter Jovita Ambrose Arunia, who also competed in the Championship, revealed that she had to step in to assist the para-athletes due to unreliable coaching. “Team Para delivered a great performance in the Championship despite the lack of a coach to encourage and assist them in their warm-up before competitions. This is one of the major roles that the coaches failed to fulfill, causing disappointment among the para-athletes,” Arunia stated.

Arunia also highlighted the para-athletes’ dissatisfaction with the federation regarding allowances. Solomon Islands Paralympic Committee (SINPC) President Nihal Seneviratne explained to SunSPORTS that while they covered the trip’s airfares, accommodation, food, and internal transport, the lack of qualified coaches affected the athletes’ results.

“They are traveling under Athletics Solomon’s, and one of the contributing factors to their poor results at the Championship is the absence of a qualified coach with a World Athletics Level 2 License. The same issue applies to para-athletes. Anyone can coach, but without proper qualifications, it’s not effective,” Seneviratne said. “Training national para-athletes without a Level 2 coaching license is illegal.”

Seneviratne further noted that even the staff at the Solomon Islands National Institute of Sports (SINIS) High Performance (HP) Center are not qualified to train the para-athletes.

Despite these challenges, the team returned with commendable results, securing two bronze medals and one silver medal. Ross Lydia earned a Bronze in the women’s seated shot put and a Silver in the Javelin, while Peter Breeze won a Bronze in the men’s seated shot put.

The Oceania Athletics Championship 2024 was held from June 1st to 8th at HFC Stadium in Suva, Fiji. Despite the hurdles faced, the para-athletes demonstrated resilience and determination, highlighting the need for better support and resources from their federation to achieve their full potential in future competitions.

BY ELTON LONARATHA JNR

THE Honiara City Council (HCC), owner of Lawson Tama Football Stadium, has pledged to address the poor condition of the portable lavatories located in the grandstand of the stadium.

This commitment comes in response to concerns raised by the football community about the unwelcoming state of the portaloos. Fans have described the facilities as unhygienic, calling on authorities to rectify the situation to enhance their experience of the country’s number-one sport, especially during weekends.

HCC Facilities Officer Watson Luito assured SunSPORTS that the issue will be addressed in due course.

“The two portaloos were connected to a septic tank by the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF). Ideally, these portaloos should not be connected to any septic tank but should be cleared after use, particularly on weekends,” Luito explained. “Connecting them to a waste tank can expose waste to the air, creating an unpleasant environment for spectators.”

Luito mentioned that service improvements will begin once new staff members are recruited to manage the situation.

“Under the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), HCC is responsible for the upkeep of these facilities. However, due to a shortage of workforce, improvements have been delayed. We will recruit staff and station them at the stadium to monitor the lavatories. Cleaners and security personnel will be assigned to their respective zones during game times,” Luito added.

He also noted that the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) is responsible for cleaning up any mess left on the field during game times.

The football community can look forward to a better experience at Lawson Tama Stadium as these measures are put into place.