Big split: Solomon Islands marathoner in 100m
For Sharon Firisua of the Solomon Islands, the Olympics are not a marathon, they’re a sprint.
In a turn of events that could only happen at the Olympics, the Solomon Islands have placed the 30-year-old marathon runner into its lone spot in the women’s 100 meters. On Friday, the preliminary heat of the Olympics will mark Firisua’s first — and probably last — 100-meter race.
Firisua finished 72nd in the marathon at the Tokyo Games and was hoping to make Paris her third Olympic marathon.
When she didn’t qualify, her country’s Olympic officials decided to award her the wild-card spot they had been granted. Those spots are usually reserved for small countries as a way of providing their athletes a chance to compete even if they don’t meet the qualifying standard.
When approached with the opportunity, the country’s officials were told the 100 was the only race that had room and that they should pick a runner to join a field that includes Sha’Carri Richardson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and a few dozen of the world’s best sprinters.
All of which seemed like a fun little story — one that will end about three hours and 42,000 meters short of Firisua’s typical race — except not everyone is pleased.
Top on that list is the country’s best sprinter, Jovita Arunia, who did not qualify for the event and was not given the nation’s spot.
“We’re the [actual] sprinters. … I don’t know what went wrong. It’s unbelievable,” she told Australia’s ABC News.
Arunia said she is considering quitting the sport.
“I will not compete anymore because of what they did,” she said.
Michael Kuali, president of Solomon Islands Athletics Federation, told Australia’s ABC News that the federation had nominated sprinters for the open spot but that the final decision was made by the national Olympic committee and saying the choice “came as a shock.”
Firisua is one of only two athletes from the Solomon Islands at these Olympics, along with swimmer Isabella Millar.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
