Yeshnil Karan's time faster than 2015 Pacific Games 1,500 metres winner

The gold medalist for the 1,500 metres event in the 2015 Pacific Games ran a much slower time than Coca-Cola Games gold medalist, Yeshnil Karan.

As questions continue to be raised on why Karan is not in the Pacific Games squad, FijiVillage has received confirmation that Karan was faster than the last 1,500 metres Pacific champion.

The 2015 Pacific Games gold medalist who was from New Caledonia, Adrian Kela clocked a time of 4 minutes 19 seconds while Karan clocked a time of 4 minutes 9 seconds in the Coca-Cola Games.        

Karan’s time was confirmed by the Oceania Athletics officials at the Coke Games.

When questioned by FijiVillage on why Karan was not considered for the time he ran as it was a faster time than the 2015 Pacific Games winner, Athletics Fiji’s Technical Advisor, Albert Miller says in some games, athletes run faster than the time in the 2015 Pacific Games.

Miller says it depends on the quality of athletes out there.

However FijiVillage confirms that the times we are quoting is from the Pacific Games in PNG, not the Mini Pacific Games.

When questioned on who sets the A and B standard qualifying times which is much faster than the last Pacific Games gold medalist's time, Miller says he has no idea and only Joseph Rodan Junior can confirm this.

Team Fiji Athletics Sectional Manager for the Pacific Games Joseph Rodan Junior had earlier highlighted that they had to follow standards in terms of selecting athletes for the Games and this was why their national trials were held earlier than the Coca Cola Games because they needed to submit names of the athletes.

Rodan Junior says in this case they had already submitted names and if Karan ran a qualifying standard time, it would have given them a strong justification.

Athletics Fiji has set an A standard qualifying time of 3 minutes 58 seconds and B standard time of 4 minutes 5 seconds.

When earlier questioned by FijiVillage as to why Karan was not considered to represent Fiji, Rodan had said that the A standard time for the 1,500 metres event is 3 minutes 58 seconds while Karan clocked a time of 4 minutes 19 seconds adding that the B Standard time is 4 minutes 9 seconds.

We then raised the issue again as Karan ran 4 minutes 9 seconds in the Coke Games as confirmed by Oceania Athletics.

Rodan Junior had then said that he had made a mistake and the B standard qualifying time is 4 minutes 5 seconds.

It was also highlighted earlier that Tavua College athlete, Karan did not make the squad because he did not attend any national trials.

Yeshnil Karan had also highlighted to FijiVillage that he was not informed of the Fiji Games that was held during Easter and if he was, he would have come to attend it.

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