Gabriel Ini qualifies for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games 800m final with a new Solomon Islands personal best.

By Emma Komasi

Solomon Islands young sprinter Gabriel Ini has qualified for the Men’s 800m Final at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, clocking a new personal best of 2:03.10.

The 16-year-old Ini finished fourth in his semi-final to secure his place in the final, which is scheduled for tomorrow at 2:20pm Dakar time.

His performance marks a significant milestone for Solomon Islands athletics. Head coach Sharon Firisua said Ini’s qualification was a historic achievement, as he became the first Solomon Islands athlete to reach an athletics final at the Youth Olympic Games.

“This is just a beginning for a great improvement or performance in athletics. History as Gabriel Ini is the first ever athlete to qualify for finals for the Solomon Islands in the athletics sport,” she said.

Firisua said the result could inspire more young people to take up athletics and pursue opportunities in the sport.

She added that the athletes had performed to their abilities, with the experience providing an important opportunity to assess their future potential.

“As you can see from their results and personal bests at the Youth Olympic Games, they have all competed to the best of their abilities. As a coach, this experience has also given the athletes a clearer picture of their future potential in the sport,” She said. 

Meanwhile, Salvina Jalisma Toali has completed her Women’s 3000m campaign, finishing eighth overall and recording a new personal best.

In the Men’s Shot Put, Donald Aba also recorded a personal best of 10.49 metres on his third attempt, marking his first appearance at an international competition.

Ini will now represent Solomon Islands in the Men’s 800m Final tomorrow, marking a significant milestone for the country’s athletics team.