BY JOY OFASIA
SOLOMON Islands female sprinter Jovita Arunia cruised seventh in the heats of the women’s 100 metres at the 2022 World Athletics’ Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in the United States of America last weekend.
Jovita described to Solomon Women that her experience competing against the world’s elite athletic athletes was good although she was a little bit nervous.
“Competing against world elite athletic athletes was good although was a little bit nervous but with help of advice from a Fijian coach gave me the confidence that day,” she said.
In a personal best time, she clocked 13. 15 seconds, Jovita finished seventh in heat 7 of the women’s 100 meters sprint event.
Heat 7 was won by Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland in a time of 10.97 seconds, followed by USA rising track sensation Melissa Jefferson in 11.03 seconds, and Ewa Swoboda of Poland in 11.07, the top three qualifiers for the Semi-finals.
She pointed out that local athletes challenge now is having no full time coach.
“This is my biggest challenge so I am making a request for my Federation or the Solomon Islands National Institution of Sports (SINIS) to please find me a coach.
“I need a coach to give me proper trainings to provide technical support and correct my mistakes.
“To have a coach would be great because there will be someone to help me out with my timings and also need proper gym sessions to strengthen my muscles,” she said.
Jovita encouraged young athletes to start small in order to reach the top and never give up on their dreams.
She skipped the 2022 Pacific Mini Games in Northern Marianas to compete in athletics competitions in Australia, and in the United States of America ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England later this month.
