Oceania Federations will be well represented this week at the IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Athletes from 14 Oceania Federations will compete over the three days of the Championships.

The latest results of Oceania Athletes competing in the United States are now available on the OAA Website, go to Development on the left handside of the OAA Website and go to Oceania Results US - 3 March 2010.

Thanks go to OAA Honorary Statistician, Fletcher McEwen for continuing to keep us up to date with the latest results and rankings from around the Area.

Results updated 3 March 2010.

Valerie Vili steps up for her third outing this season in Melbourne on Thursday evening.

Vili, competing in the shot put, is one of 14 New Zealanders taking part in the Melbourne Classic at Olympic Park.

Tekooki Teieka, a dedicated athlete and committee member of Kiribati Athletics Association died last week at the age of 28 years.

Peter Hannan, Athletics Australia National Youth Event Coach - Combined Events, presents a full wrap up of the 2010 Australian Combined Events Championships held at the Demain Athletics Centre, Hobart, February 13-14.

Despite there being a full two weeks left of summer, conditions at the Domain Athletic Centre for the start of the decathlon competition fell far short of the description `summery'. Rain had fallen earlier in the morning, and despite the 11.20am start time, track suit jackets and windcheaters were all still being worn during the warm ups. Conditions were overcast and the dark clouds
around threatened rain at some time during the day's proceedings. However, when the men were called to their starting blocks, it was an impressive sight for Australian Open men's decathlon championships. The ten lanes available in the front straight were all filled - a great line up for what would turn out to be an enthralling contest.

The IAAF Race Walking Challenge was conducted in Hobart, Australia on Saturday 13th February. It was a double victory for the Tallent Family with Claire taking out the women's 20km race and husband Jarred victorious in the men's race.

Full results are now available on the OAA Webpage. Go to Competitions on the left hand side of the OAA Webpage and click on IAAF Race Wlaking Challenge - Hobart 2010 - Results.

Guam's out-of-stadia races will hit the streets of Guam in early March.

The 39th Guam Hafa Half Marathon/Relay race will be held on Saturday 6th March. This will be followed by the
39th Guam Marathon/Relay on Sunday March 28th.

For more information on either event www.guamrunningclub.com or contact Josephine Pinto 671 632 5818 guamrun@guamrunningclub.com

The RDC Gold Coast has just completed its first course for the year 2010. Fifteen participants from fifteen countries attended this course. Countries represented were; Australia, Cook Islands, FSM, Fiji, Guam, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu.

Valerie Vili was named Sportswoman of the year for the fourth year in a row and collected the coveted Supreme Award for the third consecutive year at the prestigious Halberg Awards dinner in Auckland last evening.

Gold medallist Betty Babalu was part of the Pikinini Athletics Program recently held in Auki, Malaita Province.
Babalu was one of the athletes that took part in the program and was pleased to be part of Pikinini Athletics Workshop held by Athletic Solomons over the Christmas break.

The Oceania Athletics Association is now calling for nominations for Merit Award for 2009.

Information regarding nominations is available by going to Administration on the left hand side of the OAA Homepage. Go to Circulars 2010 and go to Merit Award Nominations 2010. Also available is the current list of OAA Merit Award Holders.

The IAAF Chief Executive Officer course commenced on Sunday 31st January at the University of Queensland. The course is only the second CEO Academy Course to be offered by the IAAF after the initial course was held in San Juan, Peurto Rico.

The Oceania Athletics Association has posted Circulars relating to the following:

OAA Administration Circular 04/10 - Important Dates 02/2010
OAA Competition Circular 03/10 - Oceania Half Marathon / Marathon Championships 2010
OAA Competition Circular 04/10 - Oceania Cross Country Championships 2010

Go view these Circulars go to Administration on the left hand side of the OAA Homepage and go to Circulars 2010.

More than 100 athletes competed at Saturday's Guam Track and Field meet in Hagana. President of Guam Track and Field Association said, "we had more people turn up, but it started raining and it scared a few off".

The competition was held at JFK track and was the first for 2010, but not the last! "It is expected that as we advertise more regular competitions there will be much more interest in Track and Field than previously" said an excited President, Jay Antonio.

There are a number of other meets scheduled with the next being held on the 13th February.

Full results are available on the Guam Track and Field website go to:
http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=2-1145-0-0 0&sID=151859&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=11140879§ionID=151859

or go to Competitions on the left hand side of the OAA webpage and scroll down to Guam T & F Competition, 23 January 2010.

Murray McKinnon (Athletics New Zealand) for Oceania Athletics reported on the Athletics New Zealand website some great results for New Zealand athletes over the weekend.

Capital Classic Meeting, including NZ 3000m Championship
Nick Willis had back to back victories in the 800m and the 3000m at the Capital Classic meeting at Newtown Park Stadium in Wellington on Friday evening.

The Olympic Games 1500m silver medallist eased through the 800m in 1m 52.69s, before lining up in the New Zealand 3000m championship.

Willis took off with 200m remaining and despite being hunted by Hamish Carson down the finishing straight was well in control winning his first national 3000m title in 8m 15.12s. Carson was second in 8m 15.72s with Aaron Pulford third.

Willis' latest successes follow a satisfactory five weeks of training back in New Zealand. He leaves for the States and the Boston indoor games on 6 February and the Birmingham indoor games two weeks later. Willis will return to New Zealand in March for an international meeting in Christchurch followed by the New Zealand championships in Christchurch at the end of March.

The Fiji Sun reported that the Kids Athletics clinic at Kauvesi Park in Raiwai, Suva was a success.

The clinic which ended on Wednesday was conducted by Athletics Fiji head coach Albert Miller, Sprints Coach Bola Tafo'u and Sports Educator Taitusi Bunawa helping children.

Athletics New Zealand announced on their website today the Rio 2016 Performance Project Coaches.

The following coaches have been named to take up positions supporting the Rio 2016 Performance Project.

There are three levels of positions aligned with the current quality of athletes and events.

The coaches will be charged not only with the support of individual athletes and their coaches, but also with improving the status of the respective events

The Oceania Masters Athletics Championships will be conducted in Papeete, Tahiti, 3-10 July 2010.

The Championships will be hosted by Federation D'Athletisme de Polynesie Francaise on behalf of the Oceania Masters Athletics Association and in conjuction with the Oceania Athletics Association.

The Oceania Athletics Association has posted Circulars relating to the following:

OAA Administration Circular 01/10 - Important Dates
OAA Administration Circular 02/10 - Bid to Host 2012 Oceania Area Championships
OAA Administration Circular 03/10 - Bid to Host Out of Stadia Events

Go view these Circulars go to Administration on the left hand side of the OAA Homepage and go to Circulars 2010.

Officials are now called for the Oceania Area Championships to be conducted in Cairns, Australia - 23-25 September 2010.

For more information go to Administration on the left hand side of the Oceania Athletics Association homepage and click on Circulars 2010: OAA Competition Circular 02/10 - Oceania Area Championships - Call for Officials.

Nominations close at the OAA Office on the 28th May 2010.

The IAAF has approved the Australian 20k Race Walking Championships to be included as a scoring competition for this year's IAAF Race Walking Challenge.

The 20km Race Walking Championships will be conducted in Hobart, Tasmania - Australia on the 13th February 2010.

For more information go to: www.athletics.org.au

Contact:

David Gynther: David.Gynther@athletics.org.au

Brian Roe: brian.roe@earthling.net

Nauru Athletics Association conducted its Annual General Meeting on Saturday 9 January 2010.

The following have been elected to the Committee for the 2010 Season:

President: Hansome Adumur
Vice President: Charmi Depaune
2nd Vice President: Gordon Dageago
General Secretary: Ritchie Halstead
Treasurer: Roy Harris

Contact details for all members of the Committee will be available on the OAA Webpage in the near future.

The Micronesian Games will be held in Koror, Palau from the 3-10 August 2010.

Offcials are now being called for from throughout the Region to officiate at the Games.

For more information go to Administration on the left hand side of the OAA homepage and click on Circulars 2010 - OAA Competition Circular 01/10 - Micronesian Games, Call for Officials.

Nominations close on the 1st March 2010.

The Oceania Athletics Association is seeking to appoint appropriately qualified and experienced persons to Management positions on the Asia-Pacific Team which will compete at the IAAF Continental Cup in Athletics in 2010.

Guam Track & Field's Winter Series Cross Country/Track
& Field took place on January 2nd and it was a huge success.

Over 90 athletes of all ages showed up at the Leo Palace track on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

In the men's 400 metres several athletes cracked the 55
second mark with Guam National Team member Derek Mandell leading the way with a time of 53.60.

Perhaps the highlight of the event was the (100,100,200,400
metre) mixed medley that pitted teams consisting of athletes young and old from around the island.

Full results are available on the Guam Track and Field Website: http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=1145&pID=2

The Oceania Athletics Association Webpage has been updated today with a Circular regarding the Oceania Udner 18 Area Championships to be conducted in Sydney 2010.

The Championships will be held alongside the Athletics Australia Under 14 - Under 20 Age Championships and will be the Selection Trial for the Youth Olympic Games. The Inaugural Youth Olympic Games will be held in Singapore, 14-26 August 2010.

The Circular can be found by going to Administration on the left hand side of the Oceania Webpage and clicking on CIrculars 2009 - Oceania Under 18 Area Championships 2010.

The Saipan Tribune reported that Palau sports officials assured the CNMI and seven other island-nations that the 2010 Micronesian Games will push through as scheduled despite reports that the host is struggling to find funding for the event.

The Papua New Guinea Games wound up today after five days of competition from athletes throughout the Provinces of PNG. Almost 1200 athletes took part in the Games which were a huge success for the athletics community of the country.

More than 1000 athletes are taking part in the Papua New Guinea Games in Port Moresby this week. Athletes from all over PNG have come together for the multi-sport event which has proved to be a huge success.

The athletics competition has attracted record numbers with National athletes joining first time athletes across all disciplines.

The IAAF has announced the results of the October, International Technical Officials' evaluation course held in Paris.

Australian and New Zealand officials have been successful in their appointment to the 2010-2013 International Technical Officials Panel.

The latest Oceania Rankings for Men and Women are now available on the Oceania website.

The latest Pacific Island rankings are now available on the website. Thanks go the Honorary Oceania Athletics Association, Statistician, Fletcher McEwen for his continued assistance in updating the statistics.

These rankings can be found by going to Development on the left hand side of the OAA Homepage and clicking on Pacific Island Rankings - 22 September 2009.