THE selectors from the World Athletics has awarded Rallie Kaputin the Papua New Guinea universality place in Athletics to Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The announcement came after PNG track and field athlete Rallie Kaputin who is specialized in jump took a huge leap off in her seasons best long jump of 6.42 meters in the second attempt at the festival of Athletics in Townsville over the weekend on Saturday.
Chef de Mission Tamzin Wardley confirmed that the PNG Olympic Committee was advice of the decision by World Athletics on Wednesday June 24, 2021.
“It is an exceptional result as acceptance into a field event, such as the long jump, is not just based on her current world ranking but her current performance as well. Her place had to be approved by a Board of Technical delegates, as the field of athletes for the long jump is a set number.
“Rellie has been competing in the recent Australian athletics circuit events in her lead up to the Games and it was just this last weekend, at the Festival of Athletics in Townsville, that she landed her season best jump at 6.42 m,” Wardley said.
PNG female athletics Kaputin and Wisil has been competing in their respective events to secure the only athletic Universality spot available for PNG which is now awarded to Kaputin. Kaputin makes the eighth and final athlete to join team PNG for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Kaputin has been in training with her coach Phillip Newton since February 2020 in Kingscliff which is just over the NSW border south of the Gold Coast. She has been working towards qualifying for the long jump event in the Athletics competition for the Tokyo Olympics.
She is now the eighth and final athlete to join team PNG for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The first members of the team will depart for Japan on 16 July 2021.
Wardley confirmed that PNG will have 4 female and 4 male athletes across 5 sports. Our team is now officially:
Athletics Rellie Kaputin
Boxing John Ume
Sailing Rose Lee Numa and Teariki Numa
Swimming Judith Meauri & Ryan Maskelyne
Weightlifting Dika Toua & Morea Baru
Meanwhile, with the qualifying dates to Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games closing on June 29, 2021 Rellie Kaputin took a huge leap in Australia in a hope to secure the only athletic spot available for PNG in the Olympics games.
Papua New Guinea track and field athlete Rallie Kaputin who is specialized in jump took a huge leap off in her seasons best long jump of 6.42 meters in the second attempt at the festival of Athletics in Townsville over the weekend on Saturday.
In her previous jumps at Townsville where she triumph in June 2019, Kaputin made a golden leap of 6.50 meters that snatched the Gold medal from Brooke Stratton of Australia at the Oceania Championship.
With last weekend’s impressive performances Kaputin’s Coach Philip Newton said things are looking good for Karputin to improve on her mark of 6.42metres where both her attempts were over 6.30 meters. This are the results from a leap well behind the takeoff board.
Rallie Kaputin however was pulled out of the event when she felt a slit tinge in her hamstring and do not want to risks further damages to her leg.
Moreover Toea Wisil who has been competing in Florida in USA will appear for her final race in North Carolina.
A final decision on who will be taking up the last spot in the athletic to represent PNG in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be decided on no later than July 1, 2021.