BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II
THE Solomon Islands Athletes Commission (SIAC) legacy project has finally reached its final phase for the unveiling of its induction of local Olympians into its ‘Hall of Fame’ today at the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) Conference room started at 10AM.
According to the latest updated list, a total of 20 sportsmen and women who represented the country at an Olympic Games event since 1984 including past NOCSI Presidents.
SIAC Chairman confirmed that all the former athletes including then Solomon Islands National Olympic Committee (SINOC) now NOCSI, founding father, Christian Suaga currently in the capital will also attend this historic event.
SunSPORTS understands that during the launching Olympians and leaders were recognized with awards for their achievement for the development of sports in the Solomon Islands.
These finally came following all required collection of data of athletes have now completed.
“The project involves data collection, printing and framing of the photos and important details or stories about our local Olympians and then the final stage is the launching of the project,” Legacy team leader and two-time Olympian Francis Manioru revealed in a statement.
“The legacy project aims to display the images of these athletes, we are not only recognizing them, we also honor their achievements and contribution to sports,” Manioru adds.
By doing this he says it will capture the attention of aspiring young athletes and hopefully will motivate and inspire them to excel to achieve greater success in their respective sports.
He however admitted that apart from the COVID-19 pandemic there are also some issues holding back the project progress leading up.
“The first hold up here is that people were slow or even do not respond to our calls or emails for them to come in our office so we get their information’s.
“Not only that, but also because some of these sports men, women and leaders have already passed on from this life. So their family members might still be searching for their pictures.
“The second one is the remoteness of islands because most of these people have already returned to their provinces and so we have to travel to them to get their details and pictures,” Manioru told SunSPORTS.
Sports and National federations that represent the Solomon Islands at the Olympic Games from 1984 to 2016 are; Archery, Athletics, Boxing, Judo and Weightlifting.
Meanwhile, apart from our local Olympians and NOC Presidents, the Legacy Project soon will also focus on team sports that have also taken their game to the next level, one of which is the national Kurukuru Futsal Team.
Athlete Sports Event Olympic Games Province
Charlie Oliver Athletics 800m 1984 Western province
Johnson Kere Athletics 100m 1984 Makira/Ulawa province
Leslie Ata Weightlifting 75kg 1984/1992 Malaita province
Tomy Bauro (Deceased) Boxing Light Heavyweight 1984/1988 Honiara
Ben Fafale Weightlifting Men’s middleweight 1988 Malaita province
John Maeke Athletics 10000m 1988 Guadalcanal province
Derrick Tenai Archery Men’s individual 1988 Malaita Outer Islands
Nester Geniwala Athletics 100m 1996 Guadalcanal province
Selwyn Kole Athletics 1500m 1996 Guadalcanal province
Tonny Analau Weightlifting 64kg 1996 Isabel province
Primo Higa Athletics 3000msc 1996/2000 Makira Ulawa province
Jeny Keni Athletics 100m 2000/2004 Malaita province
Francis Manioru Athletics 100m 2004/2008 Malaita province
Wendy Hale Weightlifting 58kg 2008 Malaita province
Pauline Kwalea Athletics 100m 2008/2012 Malaita province
Chris Meke Walasi Athletics 100m 2012 Malaita province
Tony Lomo Judo 60kg 2012 Malaita province
Jenly Tegu Wini Weightlifting 58kg 2012/2016 Malaita province
Sharon Kikini Firisua Athletics 5000m 2016 Malaita province
Rosefelo Siosi Athletics 5000m 2016 Malaita province
