Oceania Champs trials getting underway

The first of a series of athletics trials will start on Friday at the BCI Stadium with the intention of selecting a team to represent the Cook Islands at the Oceania Under 20 and Open Champs in Cairns in June.

Friday’s first trial will be an early opportunity for athletes to stake a claim for selection in the Cook Islands team to attend the Oceania U20 and Open champs that will be held in Cairns Australia from 27 to 29 June.

Athletics Cook Islands (ACI) hope that this will be the start of regular Friday afternoon meetings that will allow all athletes – from teenagers to masters – the chance to take part in a range of events.

The events for this week are 4.45pm shot put, 5pm 100m, 5.15pm javelin, 5.30pm long jump and 5.45pm 800m.

In a first for the Oceania champs in Cairns there will be a number of non-championship events including several for disabled athletes and, at the request of the Oceania Masters Athletics Council, several events for masters age athletes.

After the Cook Islands masters athletics team’s successes at the Oceania masters champs in Tauranga at the beginning of February, local master athlete David Lobb returned to New Zealand last weekend to compete in the New Zealand masters athletics champs that were held at the Mt Smart track in Auckland.

Lobb was able to do slightly better than in Tauranga and returned with two golds in the triple jump (8.12m), long jump (3.87m) a silver medal in the 100m sprints (14.46s) and a bronze in discus (20.43m) in the men’s 60 plus division.

All athletes on the island are encouraged to get along to the BCI Stadium to flex your muscles – you could be in the running to compete for the Cooks in Cairns in June.