PNG sprinter wins double in Australian championship

Toea Wisil takes out 100 and 200 meter gold

Papua New Guinea’s sprint Queen Toea Wisil has won the double sprint at the Australian Athletics Championship in Sydney at the weekend. She clocked in 11.42 seconds to win the 100 meters and 23.76 to take the 200 meters.

Toea Wisil nudges out Melissa Breen in a race in Canberra last month. Photo: Matt King
Toea Wisil nudges out Melissa Breen in a race in Canberra last month. / Photo: Matt King, The Canberra Times


The 28 year old Queensland based Jiwakan’s win confirms her place as one of the best female sprinters in the Oceania region.

Wisil etched out Australia’s Melissa Breen by 0.22 of a second at the 100m sprint to claim gold. However, her win has caused some upset at the meet.

According to The Canberra Times, Breen’s coach Matt Beckenham has questioned the rules of the championship after Breen’s claim to silver despite being technically the fastest Australian in the race.
Beckenham aired his displeasure on Twitter saying that while Wisil was a “deserving winner”, “the rules defy common sense.”
The former Olympian says the rule robs Australian athletes of medals they deserved and that international athlete should be acknowledged but they shouldn’t deprive locals of medals.

Wisil also beat Breen at the Canberra Grand Prix last month, claiming her status as one of the best sprinters in Australia.

In the 200m finals, Wisil also beat Australian Ella Nelson to claim her second gold of the weekend. Although she was a clear favourite for the 100m, her 200m victory came as a surprise after coming second to Nelson in same event in Canberra just three weeks earlier.

Wisil’s memorable performance has her preparing for higher levels of competition in Europe in July.

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