National athletics championships will be making a comeback for the first time in thirty years next week bringing together track and field competitors from around the country.

The event will be hosted by Athletics Samoa Inc. and held at Apia Park on 18 and 19 January.

The President of Athletics Samoa Inc., Leiataualesa Jerry Brunt, said the organisation felt it was time to revive the contest. 

“The Oceania Athletics Association, that looks after the Oceania region, [... have] given us their support," Leiataualesa told the Samoa Observer on Thursday. 

He said that the event was intended to take place in December 2021 but, despite being pushed to this month, will still be called the National Championships 2021.

"The ultimate aim [...] is a celebration of athletes' achievements in the year," he said.

Leiataualesa said that the event is an opportunity for the national athletics body to start selecting and training athletes for next year’s national squad and updating their athletes’ personal best and their records.

"We need to constantly update their performance, so having a national championship would also give all the athletes their end of year positions in terms of their performances," he said.

He said that there is no age limit for contestants to enter. 

"So long as you're fit and have the desire to come and run," he said.

The event is divided into divisions according to athletes’ age groupings.

"We have the under 18 years old [division]; under 20; seniors or open [division] which is anyone below 35, and then our Master’s [division for athletes] 35 and over," he said.

Leiataualesa said they had not been expecting a large volume of registrations given the tournament had been dormant so long but had been overwhelmed by the interest. 

"I've always said this, we've got some fine raw talent in the sports of athletics in Samoa, every year after Champ of Champs from schools,” Leiataualesa said.

"We see a lot of the potential athletes that can go further than just the [Champ of Champs]. But then I think it's their commitment and motivation; only a few come through and we actually train them.”

Leiataualesa described athletics as the most-watched individual sport in the world, and he said that current athletes have expressed a desire to be the fastest in the region with Johnny Key who participated in last year's Champ of Champs.

"We are working with him very closely, pushing him to his limits," he said.

"We also have William Hunt, he's also another strong runner."

Leiataualesa also identified Kolone Alefosio, who participated in the Pacific Games, as a strong contender for a regional medal.

"We have some really fast athletes right now [in] training,” he said. 

The contestants will not be representing Athletics Samoa but instead be running for local clubs despite having been trained as part of the organisation’s squad.

Other than the national competition, Leiataualesa said they are currently rolling out their Kids Athletics project.

"And with the [National Competition] now starting we are looking at doing competitions every three months, leading up to the next National [Competition]," he said.

Leiataualesa said he was also hoping to revive athletics games that were once hosted by church schools across the country.

Athletes who are successful during the national competition will be in contention to be selected to the national training squad.

"We are not expecting much, it is the first ever in thirty-plus years but we are hoping to be a start and before we start going out to seek sponsorships,” Leiataualesa said.

The event will be free and Leiataualesa invites family and friends to watch the national Championship to support the local athletes. He had also extended the invitation to athletic coaches around the country.

"We want to take it to the next level and bring back what was there in the past," he said.