# Athletics at the 1971 South Pacific Games

Athletics competitions at the 1971 South Pacific Games were held at the Stade Pater Te Hono Nui in Pirae, French Polynesia, between September 9-15, 1971.
A total of 35 events were contested, 22 by men and 13 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) | Joseph Wéjièmé (NCL) | 10.7 | Jean Bourne (PYF) | 10.7 | Alexandre Aunoa (PYF) | 10.8 |
| 200 metres (wind: +0.7 m/s) | Jean Bourne (PYF) | 22.0 | Samuela Yavala (FIJ) | 22.1 | Paul Maraga (PNG) | 22.4 |
| 400 metres | Samuela Yavala (FIJ) | 48.2 | Saimoni Jioji (FIJ) | 49.3 | Goa Koiti (PNG) | 50.0 |
| 800 metres | Phillip Kayo (PNG) | 1:54.1 | Barry Morgan (SOL) | 1:55.4 | Samuela Bulai (FIJ) | 1:55.5 |
| 1500 metres | Samuela Bulai (FIJ) | 4:03.5 | Raka Vele (PNG) | 4:03.8 | Alain Julien (NCL) | 4:09.0 |
| 5000 metres | Usaia Sotutu (FIJ) | 15:15.4 | Ala Loi (PNG) | 15:20.4 | John Kokinai (PNG) | 15:34.8 |
| 10000 metres | Usaia Sotutu (FIJ) | 32:14.6 | Ala Loi (PNG) | 32:33.8 | Tom Brandt (PNG) | 32:43.4 |
| Marathon | André Petersen (NCL) | 2:50:50 | Tom Brandt (PNG) | 2:51:59 | Gari Vagi (PNG) | 2:53:53 |
| 3000 metres steeplechase | Usaia Sotutu (FIJ) | 9:24.0 | John Kokinai (PNG) | 9:31.2 | Ala Loi (PNG) | 9:35.8 |
| 110 metres hurdles (wind: 0.0 m/s) | Penisimani Tuipulotu (TGA) | 14.6 | Raki Leka (PNG) | 15.1 | Charles Tetaria (PYF) | 15.1 |
| 400 metres hurdles | Penisimani Tuipulotu (TGA) | 52.9 | Marcel Blameble (NCL) | 53.9 | Moses Purpuruk (PNG) | 54.4 |
| High Jump | Pierre Léontieff-Téahu (PYF) | 2.06 | Paul Poaniewa (NCL) | 2.06 | Jean Salmon (PYF) | 1.98 |
| Pole Vault | Stanley Drollet (PYF) | 4.40 | Bernard Balastre (PYF) | 4.20 | Yannick Bonnet de Larbogne (NCL) | 4.10 |
| Long Jump | Kila Raula (PNG) | 7.11 | Léonard Angexetine (NCL) | 6.96 | Christian Kaddour (NCL) | 6.91 |
| Triple Jump | Piewavagi Waea (PNG) | 15.01 | Bula Tora (FIJ) | 14.80 | Léonard Angexetine (NCL) | 14.74 |
| Shot Put | Arnjolt Beer (NCL) | 18.07 | William Buchanan (GUM) | 15.97 | Lolésio Tuita (WLF) | 14.52 |
| Discus Throw | Arnjolt Beer (NCL) | 49.98 | Martial Bone (NCL) | 49.06 | William Buchanan (GUM) | 44.08 |
| Hammer Throw | Martial Bone (NCL) | 48.38 | John Warnock (PNG) | 44.66 | Arnjolt Beer (NCL) | 44.00 |
| Javelin Throw | Lolésio Tuita (WLF) | 71.10 | Steven Vairaaroa (PYF) | 64.48 | Talper Nial (NHB) | 62.40 |
| Decathlon | Charles Tetaria (PYF) | 6556 | Raki Leka (PNG) | 6426 | Sanitesi Latu (TGA) | 6328 |
| 4 x 100 metres relay | French Polynesia Jean Salmon Alexandre Aunoa Jean Bourne Charles Tetaria | 41.8 | Fiji Jone Soro Roy Thomas Samuela Yavala Tony Moore | 41.8 | Papua and New Guinea Paul Maraga Silas Tita Kila Raula John McCubbery | 42.7 |
| 4 x 400 metres relay | Fiji Seru Gukilau Saimoni Jioji Usaia Sotutu Samuela Yavala | 3:18.5 | Papua and New Guinea Moses Purpuruk Goa Koite John McCubbery Phillip John Kayo | 3:19.6 | New Caledonia Yannick Blanc Alain Julien Patrick Ardimani Marcel Blameble | 3:25.3 |

### Women

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres (wind: -3.5 m/s) | Keta Iongi (TGA) | 12.9 | Salitia Pipit (PNG) | 12.9 | Danièle Guyonnet (PYF) | 13.0 |
| 200 metres | Salitia Pipit (PNG) | 25.8 | Miriama Tuisorisori (FIJ) | 25.8 | Keta Iongi (TGA) | 26.0 |
| 400 metres | Salitia Pipit (PNG) | 58.1 | Make Liku (FIJ) | 59.4 | Gaet Nim (PNG) | 59.4 |
| 800 metres | Salitia Pipit (PNG) | 2:31.1 | Lucia Likonia (SOL) | 2:31.4 | Elisabeth Tito (SOL) | 2:34.3 |
| 1500 metres | Make Liku (FIJ) | 5:11.3 | Seini Debui (FIJ) | 5:11.7 | Lucia Likonia (SOL) | 5:12.8 |
| 100 metres hurdles (wind: 0.0 m/s) | Danièle Guyonnet (PYF) | 15.0 | Keta Iongi (TGA) | 15.2 | Miriama Tuisorisori (FIJ) | 15.4 |
| High Jump | Henriette Wahuzue (NCL) | 1.58 | Ines Elocie (NCL) | 1.53 | Danièle Guyonnet (PYF) | 1.51 |
| Long Jump | Ines Elocie (NCL) | 5.45 | Nancy Kennedy (PNG) | 5.39 | Miriama Tuisorisori (FIJ) | 5.36 |
| Shot Put | Marie-Claude Wetta (NCL) | 12.60 | Lavah Tingdai (PNG) | 11.86 | Atanasia Fenuafanote (WLF) | 11.61 |
| Discus Throw | Marie-Claude Wetta (NCL) | 38.62 | Danielle Sakoumory (NCL) | 34.82 | Didin Kaltakae (NHB) | 33.72 |
| Javelin Throw | Soana Simutoga (NCL) | 42.16 | Marguerite Wabet (NCL) | 40.82 | Kuniguda Namur (PNG) | 39.14 |
| Pentathlon | Miriama Tuisorisori (FIJ) | 3389 | Meg Taylor (PNG) | 3386 | Eleanor Phillips (FIJ) | 3383 |
| 4 x 100 metres relay | Fiji Lili Bola Miriama Tuisorisori Torika Cavuka Eleanor Phillips | 49.4 | New Caledonia Louise Kauma Ines Elocie Pierette Barthelemy Sylviane Cailleux | 49.6 | Papua and New Guinea Salitia Pipit Gaet Nim Meg Taylor Nancy Kennedy | 50.4 |

## Medal table (unofficial)

* Host nation (French Polynesia)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | New Caledonia | 10 | 8 | 6 | 24 |
| 2 | Fiji | 9 | 7 | 4 | 20 |
| 3 | Papua New Guinea | 6 | 13 | 11 | 30 |
| 4 | French Polynesia* | 6 | 3 | 5 | 14 |
| 5 | Tonga | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | Wallis and Futuna | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 7 | Solomon Islands | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 8 | Guam | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | New Hebrides | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Totals (9 entries) | Totals (9 entries) | 35 | 35 | 35 | 105 |

## Participation (unofficial)

Athletes from 13 countries were reported to participate:
* American Samoa
* British Solomon Islands
* Cook Islands
* Fiji
* French Polynesia
* Gilbert and Ellice Islands
* Guam
* New Caledonia
* New Hebrides
* Papua and New Guinea
* Tonga
* Wallis and Futuna
* Western Samoa