8 March 2026, Auckland, New Zealand. History was made at The Trusts Arena today as Samoa dominated the sprinting events at the 2026 Polynesian Track and Field Championships, with Johnny Malua leading the charge by winning the Men’s 100m individual gold and contributing to a gold-medal performance in the 4x100m relay.
The event was held from 5-8 March 2026, at Trusts Arena in Auckland, in conjunction with the New Zealand Track and Field Championships, marking the event’s return after a decade.
Johnny Malua crossed the finish line with a commanding time of 10.88 secondsđĽ.
The victory wasnât just a personal triumph; it spearheaded a historic “one-two” finish for Samoa, with teammate Falatunatuna Jr Solomona clinching the silverđĽ.
The atmosphere in Auckland reached a fever pitch during the “Track Stars” session as Malua surged ahead of the pack at the 60-meter mark, leaving Tongaâs Titali Kolomalu to settle for bronzeđĽ.
Fijiâs Ratu Penaia Ramasirai took home the visitor medal for coming across the line in second place.
The win marks Maluaâs most significant international title to date and a milestone for Athletics Samoa, signaling a shift in momentum for the nationâs sprinting program as it looks toward future international competition.
Polynesian Menâs 4x100m Relay
Johnny Malua also helped Samoa to their third gold medal of the sprinting in a thrilling relay final.
As the anchor leg runner, Malua overcame a two-meter deficit in the final 50 meters to clinch the win.
Despite some technical challenges with baton exchanges and a last-minute change to the running order, the teamâs raw speed allowed them to close a significant gap on the final leg.
Samoa secured 1st Place (Gold đĽ) ahead of Tonga (Silver) and French Polynesia (Bronze).
“This win is for everyone back home in Samoa,” Malua said following the medal ceremony. “We came here to show that we are more than just throwers – we are runners, too. To see the flag go up and hear our anthem is a dream come true.”
Maluaâs gold medal performance served as the crown jewel of a successful weekend for Athletics Samoa, which also saw Symone Tafuna’i take the Womenâs 100m title, completing a clean sweep of the premier sprint events for the nation.
âThe energy today was unmatched,â said one of the event organisers. âTo see Samoa take the blue ribbon event in front of such a passionate crowd is exactly why this championship was brought back.â
The 2026 Polynesian Track and Field Championships were held from 5-8 March 2026, at Trusts Arena in Auckland, in conjunction with the New Zealand Track and Field Championships, marking the event’s return after a decade.
Over 100 athletes from nations including Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, and Tahiti are competing.
Team Samoan team will now shift their focus to the Oceania Athletics Championships in Darwin, where they aim to test their speed against the broader Pacific and Australian fields.
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