In a surprising move, the Solomon Islands has nominated marathon runner Sharon Firisua to compete in the women’s 100-meter Olympic heats, leaving the nation’s sprint champion, Jovita Arunia, stunned and angered.
Firisua, a two-time Olympian who specializes in distance running, has not competed in the 100-meter at a high level. She finished 72nd in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympics and failed to qualify for the marathon this time around. However, the Solomon Islands Olympic Committee chose Firisua, a national 1,500-meter champion, for one of the coveted wildcard spots at the Paris Games, despite the Solomon Islands Athletics Federation recommending two sprinters for the slots.
The decision has been met with shock and outrage. Michael Kuali, president of the Solomon Islands Athletics Federation, described the choice as a “shock” to Australian broadcaster ABC. Arunia, a 22-year-old who holds national titles in the 100m and 200m, expressed her disbelief and disappointment.
“We’re the sprinters. I don’t know what went wrong, it’s unbelievable,” she told ABC. She has threatened to quit athletics altogether due to the decision, saying, “I will not compete anymore because of what they did.”
The Solomon Islands Olympic Committee has yet to respond to a request for comment.
