Tovetuna Tuna
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| Born | 2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | Sprint | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 60 m: 6.85 s (Lubbock, 2025) 100 m: 10.24 s (Lubbock, 2025) NR 200 m: 20.64 s (Lubbock, 2025) NR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Tovetuna Timothy Tuna (born 2003) is a sprinter from Papua New Guinea. He was a bronze medalist over 200 metres at the 2024 Oceania Athletics Championships. In 2025, he became national record holder over 200 metres and 100 metres.[1]
Early life
[edit]He is from Matupit Island in Papua New Guinea.[2] He attracted attention for his sprinting ability when he ran 11.01 seconds for the 100 metres in 2019 at the national athletics championships in Kimbe.[3] He later studied and competed at New Mexico Junior College in the United States.[4]
Career
[edit]At the 2022 Oceania Athletics Championships he was a bronze medalist in the men's 4 × 100 metres relay in Mackay, Australia.[5]
In June 2024, he was a member of the Papua New Guinea 4 × 100 metres relay team that won the gold medal at the 2024 Oceania Athletics Championships alongside Alphonse Igish, Emmanuel Anis, and Pais Wisil.[6] He also won a bronze medal in the 200 metres at the Games.[7] In October 2024, he was ranked in the top 10 of the Pacific Islands men’s and women’s World Athletics rankings.[8]
In 2025, he ran a wind assisted 10.09 seconds for the 100 metres.[9] In April 2025, he broke the national record for the 200 metres, running 20.75 seconds in Texas, breaking the previous record set by Theo Piniau.[10] In May 2025, he broke the national record for the 200 metres again, running 20.64 seconds in Lubbock, Texas (+1.3 mp/s). Racing on the same day he also equalled the national record of 10.24 seconds for the 100 metres, co-held by Pais Wisil, despite running into 3 mp/s headwind.[11]
Personal life
[edit]His father is fellow sprinter and former national record holder, Takale Tuna.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ "Tovetina Tuna". World Athletics. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Dad is his inspiration:Matupit Island sprinter is on the right track". Post Courier. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "New talent unearthed at athletes meet". Post Courier. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Athletes Shine". The National. 19 February 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Oceania Athletics Championships". World Athletics. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Oceania Athletics Championships". World Athletics. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Wisli makes semi finals at worlds". The National. 24 March 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Beu tops Pacific, PNG athletes feature in regional rankings". Islands Business. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Tuna breaks PNG 200M SPRINT RECORD". emtv.com. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "National 200m record broken". The National. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Tuna's record blitz". The National. 5 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "PNG's next king of the track". Post Courier. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2025.