From Waima to Buenos Aires

Young sprinter aims for personal best

BY ROMULUS HUTA

Ronward Hinarua will represent Solomon Islands in the 100 meters event of
the athletics competition in the Youth Olympic Games.

YOUNG sprinter Ronward Hinarua aims to set a new personal best at next week’s Youth Olympic Games in Argentina.

Hinarua is amongst the few names picked to represent the country at the third edition of the games set to kick off this weekend in the Argentine city of Buenos Aires.

Departed with the rest of the Solomon Islands delegation for the games, this would be his second outing on the international arena following a successful debut at the Oceania Area Championship in Vanuatu held in May this year.

Hinarua, 17, a student at Waimapuru National Secondary School, will run the 100-metre race at the Games.

Being the current fastest young sprinter in the country at the moment, the lad that hails from Maniwiriri in Central Makira is excited for what he calls one as his first biggest event of his athletic life.

“I’m pretty excited to represent Solomon Islands,” he said enthusiastically, with rapid-fire diction.

“It’s always been a goal of mine to represent Solomon Islands since started joining athletics, especially at something like the Youth Olympics, which is, like, a huge deal, and to be chosen out of many other track athletes in the country, that’s big,” Hinarua, who spent the past couple of months training at his school in Makira before arriving in Honiara in time for yesterday’s trip, said.

In the 100m, he’s hoping to beat his career-best time of 11.68s, where he clocked during the regional championship five months ago.

“I’m hoping for results, but I won’t be that disappointed if that doesn’t happen,” he added.

“The experience counts, and seeing different countries, cultures, it will be good.”

The young lad’s coach, Francis Manioru, who accompanies him to the event, said Hinarua is one of the country’s upcoming sprinters and he hopes to see a good result from him.

Hinarua’s event is scheduled for next Saturday beginning with the heats.

Meanwhile, the games will run over a course of 12 days with the official closing set for October 18.

The event sees nearly 4,000 athletes, aged 15 to 18, from more than 200 countries including Solomon Islands competing across 32 sports and 36 disciplines.

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