PARIS (AP) — For Sharon Firisua of the Solomon Islands, the Olympics are not a marathon, they’re a sprint.
In a turn of events that could only happen here, the Solomon Islands placed the 30-year-old marathon runner into its lone spot in the women’s 100 meters. On Friday, the preliminary heat of the Olympics will mark Firisua’s first — and probably last — 100-meter race.
Firisua finished 72nd in the marathon at the Tokyo Games and was hoping to make Paris her third Olympic marathon.
When she didn’t qualify, her country’s Olympic officials decided to award her the wild-card spot they had been granted. Those spots are usually reserved for small countries as a way of providing their athletes a chance to compete in the big time, even if they don’t meet the needed qualifying standard.
When approached with the opportunity, the country’s officials were told the 100 was the only race that had room, and they should pick a runner to join a field that includes Sha’Carri Richardson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and a few dozen of the world’s best sprinters.
All of which seemed like a fun little story — one that will end about three hours and 42,000 meters short of Firisua’s typical race — except not everyone is pleased.
Top on that list is the country’s best sprinter, Jovita Arunia, who did not qualify for the event and was not given this spot.
“We’re the (actual) sprinters … I don’t know what went wrong, it’s unbelievable,” she told Australia’s ABC News.
Arunia said she is considering quitting the sport.
“I will not compete anymore because of what they did,” she said.
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