Sports ‘Hall of Fame’ launch today

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

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