# Athletics at the 1979 South Pacific Games

Athletics competitions at the 1979 South Pacific Games were held in Suva, Fiji, between August 29 - September 8, 1979.
A total of 37 events were contested, 22 by men and 15 by women.

## Medal summary

Medal winners and their results were published on the Athletics Weekly webpage courtesy of Tony Isaacs and Børre Lilloe, and on the Oceania Athletics Association webpage by Bob Snow.
Complete results can also be found on the Oceania Athletics Association webpage.

### Men

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres (wind: 0.0 m/s) | Samuela Yavala (FIJ) | 10.86 | Joseph Wéjièmé (NCL) | 10.86 | Joseph Leota (SAM) | 11.02 |
| 200 metres | Joseph Wéjièmé (NCL) | 22.12 | Patrice Manuel (PYF) | 22.47 | Inoke Bainimoli (FIJ) Joseph Leota (SAM) | 22.52 |
| 400 metres | Paiwa Bogela (PNG) | 48.73 | Hervé Le Strat (PYF) | 49.33 | Taniela Racule (FIJ) | 49.73 |
| 800 metres | Ilimotama Daku (FIJ) | 1:54.12 | Alain Lazare (NCL) | 1:55.62 | Charlie Oliver (SOL) | 1:56.00 |
| 1500 metres | Alain Lazare (NCL) | 3:54.38 | Usaia Sotutu (FIJ) | 3:59.97 | Ian MacKenzie (PNG) | 4:01.29 |
| 5000 metres | Alain Lazare (NCL) | 14:47.3 | Jean-Michel Boulanger (NCL) | 15:26.3 | Tau John Tokwepota (PNG) | 15:28.8 |
| 10000 metres | Alain Lazare (NCL) | 32:00.9 | Shiri Chand (FIJ) | 32:21.8 | Denis Alcade (NCL) | 32:30.1 |
| Marathon | Alain Lazare (NCL) | 2:30:57 | Batum Makon (PNG) | 2:37.48 | Tau John Tokwepota (PNG) | 2:40:42 |
| 3000 metres steeplechase | Alain Lazare (NCL) | 9:22.26 | Usaia Sotutu (FIJ) | 9:28.06 | Ian MacKenzie (PNG) | 9:36.94 |
| 110 metres hurdles | Sakaraia Tuva (FIJ) | 15.26 | Samuela Konataci (NHB) | 15.28 | Lucien Brillant (PYF) | 15.41 |
| 400 metres hurdles | Paiwa Bogela (PNG) | 53.19 | Joe Rodan (FIJ) | 54.18 | Saimoni Jioji (FIJ) | 55.12 |
| High Jump | Paul Poaniewa (NCL) | 2.21 | Clément Poaniewa (NCL) | 2.11 | Pierre Léontieff-Téahu (PYF) | 1.94 |
| Pole Vault | Stanley Drollet (PYF) | 4.20 | Alipeti Latu (TGA) | 3.70 | Niulolo Prescott (TGA) | 3.70 |
| Long Jump | Yannick Talon (NCL) | 7.02 | Armand Welepa (NCL) | 7.00 | Paul Pirigau (SOL) | 6.98 |
| Triple Jump | Yannick Talon (NCL) | 15.39 w | Piewavagi Waea (PNG) | 14.70 w | Noel Mamau (SOL) | 14.70 w |
| Shot Put | Jean-Claude Duhaze (PYF) | 17.08 | Henry Smith (SAM) | 15.94 | Martial Bone (NCL) | 14.50 |
| Discus Throw | Jean-Claude Duhaze (PYF) | 50.30 | Martial Bone (NCL) | 48.16 | Henry Smith (SAM) | 48.14 |
| Hammer Throw | Jean-Claude Duhaze (PYF) | 53.70 | Frédéric Cassier (NCL) | 46.38 | Martial Bone (NCL) | 45.84 |
| Javelin Throw | Jean-Paul Lakafia (NCL) | 64.44 | Folotini Mulilotu (WLF) | 63.46 | Sosefo Tini (NCL) | 62.25 |
| Decathlon | Paul Poaniewa (NCL) | 6584 | Alipeti Latu (TGA) | 6191 | Lucien Brillant (PYF) | 5778 |
| 4 x 100 metres relay | Fiji Penasio Cerecere Joe Rodan Samuela Yavala Inoke Bainimoli | 41.86 | French Polynesia Yvon Allain Errol Ferriol Hervé Le Strat Patrice Manuel | 42.30 | Western Samoa William Fong Simanu Simi Joseph Keil Joe Leota | 42.83 |
| 4 x 400 metres relay | Fiji Taniela Racule Mosese Waqanibete Joe Logavatu Ilimo Daku | 3:16.94 | Papua New Guinea Wavala Kali Tony Aiam Janos Suagotsu Paiwa Bogela | 3:18.36 | Solomon Islands Geoffrey Nimanima Aaron Hitu Frank Hana John Waokahi | 3:19.35 |

### Women

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres (wind: -1.6 m/s) | Brigitte Hardel (NCL) | 12.07 | Miriama Chambault (FIJ) | 12.37 | Naomi Polum (PNG) | 12.40 |
| 200 metres (wind: -1.2 m/s) | Brigitte Hardel (NCL) | 24.68 | Naomi Polum (PNG) | 25.07 | Odile Mevin (NCL) | 25.30 |
| 400 metres | Brigitte Hardel (NCL) | 57.02 | Alena Waqasiwa (FIJ) | 58.51 | Liku Galala (FIJ) | 59.37 |
| 800 metres | Make Liku (FIJ) | 2:22.15 | Janice Jiroru (PNG) | 2:22.74 | Gisung Ngalau (PNG) | 2:22.85 |
| 1500 metres | Christele Barthelemy (NCL) | 4:49.04 | Rusila Radinibeqa (FIJ) | 4:51.39 | Janice Jiroru (PNG) | 4:53.54 |
| 3000 metres | Betty Boppart (GUM) | 10:27.76 | Christele Barthelemy (NCL) | 10:48.12 | Alakoromaki Matepi (COK) | 11:06.03 |
| 100 metres hurdles (wind: -1.9 m/s) | Miriama Chambault (FIJ) | 14.80 | Brigitte Hardel (NCL) | 14.91 | Leitaou Essaou (NHB) | 15.68 |
| High Jump | Danièle Guyonnet (PYF) | 1.75 | Loain Pierrez (NHB) | 1.58 | Denise Kacirek (NCL) | 1.58 |
| Long Jump | Miriama Chambault (FIJ) | 5.76 w | Brigitte Hardel (NCL) | 5.60 w | Laurence Napoleon (NCL) | 5.29 |
| Shot Put | Marie-Christine Sealeu (NCL) | 13.08 | Magali Teahui (PYF) | 12.03 | Danièle Guyonnet (PYF) | 11.90 |
| Discus Throw | Marie-Christine Sealeu (NCL) | 45.78 | Sandra Bordes (PYF) | 39.46 | Vinaina Drauniniu (FIJ) | 38.92 |
| Javelin Throw | Mereoni Vibose (FIJ) | 46.94 | Georgette Paouro (NCL) | 45.48 | Monika Fiafialoto (WLF) | 43.96 |
| Pentathlon | Danièle Guyonnet (PYF) | 3625 | Miriama Chambault (FIJ) | 3323 | Jeanne Liliord (NHB) | 3022 |
| 4 x 100 metres relay | New Caledonia Odile Mevin Cathy Farrugia Laurence Napoleon Brigitte Hardel | 48.19 | Fiji Emmaline Bennion Anaseini Uate Weapi Gusuivalu Sainiana Tukana | 49.35 | New Hebrides Laitaou Essaou Anna Lemus Nesbeth Meta Maya Leeman | 49.43 |
| 4 x 400 metres relay | Fiji Anaseini Uate Alena Waqasiwa Liku Galala Make Liku | 3:57.97 | New Caledonia Graziella Moutry Karen Parage Odile Mevin Brigitte Hardel | 4:01.67 | Papua New Guinea Gisung Ngalau Linda Marere Naomi Polum Janice Jiroru | 4:03.01 |

## Medal table (unofficial)

* Host nation (Fiji)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | New Caledonia | 20 | 14 | 7 | 41 |
| 2 | Fiji* | 8 | 7 | 5 | 20 |
| 3 | French Polynesia | 6 | 5 | 4 | 15 |
| 4 | Papua New Guinea | 2 | 5 | 8 | 15 |
| 5 | Guam | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | New Hebrides | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 7 | Tonga | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | Western Samoa | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 9 | Wallis and Futuna | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | Solomon Islands | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 11 | Cook Islands | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (11 entries) | Totals (11 entries) | 37 | 37 | 37 | 111 |

## Participation (unofficial)

Athletes from the following 16 countries were reported to participate:
* American Samoa
* Cook Islands
* Fiji
* French Polynesia
* Guam
* Kiribati
* New Caledonia
* New Hebrides
* Niue
* Norfolk Island
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Papua New Guinea
* Solomon Islands
* Tonga
* Wallis and Futuna
* Western Samoa