Current:Home > NewsMarathon runner Sharon Firisua competes in 100m at 2024 Paris Olympics -FutureFinance
Marathon runner Sharon Firisua competes in 100m at 2024 Paris Olympics
Johnathan Walker View
Date:2025-04-08 13:25:25
Sharon Firisua’s 2024 Paris Olympics were a sprint. She probably would have preferred a marathon.
The Solomon Islands’ top marathon runner tackled her first sprint race in the women’s 100-meter on Friday on track and field’s biggest stage. Firisua, 30, decided to chase her Olympic dreams no matter the event, and the Olympics’ wildcard system allowed her to do just that.
Usually a distance runner, Firisua competed in the 5,000m in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the marathon in 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she placed 72nd with a time of 3:02:10. This time around, though, she used the starting blocks for the first time, finishing last in the 100m preliminary round with a personal best time of 14.31.
➤ Get Olympics updates in your texts! Join USA TODAY Sports' WhatsApp Channel
Firisua holds the Solomon Islands’ record in the mile, 3000m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m, 10,000m and marathon and was the country’s flag bearer in Tokyo and Paris.
2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.
When Firisua failed to qualify for Paris in the marathon, Solomon Islands officials awarded her the nation’s sole wildcard spot in the women’s 100m competition, the AP reported. Wildcard spots, or universality places, are allocated to smaller, underrepresented nations at the Olympics to allow some of their athletes to compete even if they fail to meet the other qualifying requirements.
Firisua is just one of two athletes representing the Solomon Islands. The South Pacific nation also sent swimmer Isabella Millar.
However, while Firisua’s participation certainly made for a compelling narrative it did not come without controversy. The nation’s leading sprinters questioned why they had been snubbed in favor of Firisua, who had never competed a distance below 1500m at the top level.
Jovita Arunia, a sprinter from the Solomon Islands whose 100m season best of 13.15 seconds is over one second faster than Firisua’s, voiced frustration with the selection process.
“We're the (actual) sprinters ... I don't know what went wrong, it's unbelievable," Arunia told ABC Australia. “I will not compete anymore because of what they did.”
The USA TODAY app brings you every Team USA medal — right when it happens. Download for full Olympics coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and much more.
veryGood! (2159)
Related
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- Nurse acquitted of involuntary manslaughter in 2019 death of a 24-year-old California jail inmate
- Larry Hogan running for U.S. Senate seat in Maryland
- Two states' top election officials talk about threats arising from election denialism — on The Takeout
- Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
- Toby Keith's son pays emotional tribute to country star: 'Strongest man I have ever known'
- Queen Camilla says King Charles III is doing 'extremely well under the circumstances'
- The wife of a famed Tennessee sheriff died in a 1967 unsolved shooting. Agents just exhumed her body
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- 2024 Lunar New Year: See photos of Asian communities celebrating around the world
Ranking
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- Toby Keith's son pays emotional tribute to country star: 'Strongest man I have ever known'
- This year's NBA trade deadline seemed subdued. Here's why.
- Drug possession charge against rapper Kodak Black dismissed in Florida
- Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
- Man accused of stalking outside Taylor Swift’s Manhattan home to receive psychiatric treatment
- ADHD affects a lot of us. Here's what causes it.
- These Are the Madewell Deals I'm Shopping This Weekend & They Start at $9.97
Recommendation
Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
An Ohio city settles with a truck driver and a former K-9 officer involved in July attack
Phil is forever, but his wives are not: Groundhog heartbreak is captivating millions on the internet
Olivia Culpo Shares Her Tailgate Must-Have, a Tumbler That’s Better Than Stanley Cup, and More Essentials
Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
Michigan lottery club to split $6 million win, pay off mortgages
This week on Sunday Morning (February 11)
Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello Settle Divorce After 6 Months