Luke Haga once again reigned supreme, winning his third consecutive 100m title at the 2025 National Athletics Championship, which concluded in Honiara last week.
Representing his home province of Makira Ulawa, Haga sprinted to gold with a time of 10.75 seconds, finishing ahead of Junior David and Antony Rikimae.
Speaking to Star Sports, Haga praised the growing competitiveness of this year’s championship.
“Everyone came into the competition with a strong mindset, and everyone has improved a lot, making this year’s championship tougher compared to the last two years. I can see that everyone prepared really well,” Haga said.
“Compared to the previous championships, this year was a bit quicker, and I was also able to beat my time from the last two championships.”
Looking ahead, Haga shared his focus on major events as he builds towards the 2027 Pacific Games in Tahiti.
“There are more major events from now leading up to 2027, like the Queensland Championship in March 2026 and another one in Darwin.
“Next year will also have the Oceania Championship and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. I’m looking to participate in these events if possible,” he said.
“I think the most important thing is that we should gain more exposure as we prepare for the 2027 Pacific Games.”
The national sprinter also offered advice to aspiring young athletes.
“Becoming a top sprinter doesn’t happen overnight. Keep working hard every day and train your mind to be stronger. Don’t give up when someone beats you, instead, use it as motivation to train harder so you can beat them,” he added.
The four-day championship was staged at the National Stadium in Honiara and featured athletes from six provinces: Malaita, Guadalcanal, Honiara, Central Islands, Western, and Makira Ulawa.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
