1 week Ago By Post-Courier
TIMOTHY Tuna propelled himself into the record books in the 200m, setting a new national record of 20.75secs in an event for which his father Takale Tuna previously held the record for 20 years from 1989 to 2009. Running on the new track at West Texas A&M University, Canyon, in a high-quality field, Tuna set the pace in lane 8 and was overhauled in the closing stages by Ghana’s James Dadzie who attends West Texas A&M and holds his country’s national record with a time of 19.
79 seconds set in 2023. Athletics PNG President Tony Green in congratulating Tuna said this was a very significant improvement for Timothy, but not a total surprise given his recent form. His 21.
08 second clocking in freezing conditions on February 22 was a sign of things to come and his wind assisted 10.09 clocking for the 100m last month indicates that he may soon challenge Pais Wisil’s recently set 100m record. Things are currently looking very good for PNG in the men’s sprints after so many years of domination by Fiji.
Emmanuel Anis was also in great form at the same meet, clocking times of 10.38 (+2.1) in the 100m and 21.
30 (+2.3) in the 200m. Meanwhile, over in Perth at the Australian Championships the men’s 100m was hotly contested and Pais Wisil reached the semi-final, but his time of 10.
42 seconds was not enough to advance to the final. Both the winner Rohan Browning and second-placed Lachlan Kennedy clocked a championship record 10.01 seconds.
Lakona Gerega was also in good form in the Javelin qualifying round, throwing a seasons best 63.72m, but wasn’t able to improve on this in the final.
