Tini’s aim for the event is to run a PB of 1hr 10mins. If he does that he will be the new record holder in the distance for Samoa. The current record of 1:22:59 and it belongs to veteran runner Darren Young. That was set in 2006 in the Oceania Championships here in Apia.
In among 10,000 runners at the start line of the ASB Auckland Marathon on Sunday morning will be Tini Lapaalii, of Vailoa Aleipata.
He is Samoa’s sole representative at the big event on Sunday.
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He is competing in the Half Marathon, his specialised distance.
The start line for the iconic race is at Marine Parade in Devonport 15 minutes ferry ride from downtown Auckland.
To get to the finish line at Victoria Park in the city competitors will run on the Auckland Harbour Bridge to the finish.
It is expected that over 5,000 runners will compete in the Half Marathon distance.
Tini’s aim for the event is to run a PB of 1hr 10mins. If he does that he will be the new record holder in the distance for Samoa. The current record of
1:22:59 and it belongs to veteran runner Darren Young. That was set in 2006 in the Oceania Championships here in Apia.
But Tini is maybe a bit ambitious to aim for a 1hr 10min time. His best time this year is 1:25:00 which he ran at the Lalomanu Half Marathon in July (Samoa Events). A month earlier he ran 1hr 29mins in the US Veterans organised Samoa Marathon (Half) in Apia.
Tini’s ambitions however, is not without cause. It arises from the fact that running in the cooler weather in Auckland at this time of year is far more conducive to better times than in the heat in Samoa.
Even so, should he run a 1:10:00 time, Tini will achieve an outstanding result worthy of the new record. Getting to his desired time from his current PB will require super human effort on his part.
This is the second year Samoa International Events have facilitated local athletes travel and entry to the Auckland Marathon. Last year, six runners travelled there to compete with Tueffy Tuigamala setting a new marathon record (1:13:00) in the cooler weather in Auckland.
Tini’s trip to the Auckland event, and his first time in New Zealand was made possible with assistance by Samoa International Events (air fare), ASB Auckland Marathon (Entry) and Eveni Carruthers Sport (travel kit and running gear).
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