Norfolk Island Athletes Shine at Oceania Athletics Championships

Two Norfolk Island athletes have delivered outstanding performances at the 2026 Oceania Athletics Championships, with Taleyah Jones setting a new national record and Kingston Menzies competing in two finals against the region's fastest under-18 sprinters. Both athletes achieved personal bests on the regional stage.

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The pair travelled to Darwin this week with team manager and coach Dylan Menzies to represent Norfolk Island at the prestigious regional championships, which drew top athletes from across Oceania.

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Jones Breaks National Record in Hammer Throw

Taleyah Jones placed eighth in the Women's Senior 4kg Hammer with a best throw of 45.19 metres, breaking her own Norfolk Island national record of 44.54 metres set last year.

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The 20-year-old competed against a world-class field including Oceania record holder Lauren Bruce of New Zealand, who won the event with a throw of 70.64 metres. Australia's Stephanie Ratcliffe finished second with 68.12 metres.

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The hammer throw is one of athletics' most technical events, requiring athletes to generate immense power and maintain precise control while rotating at high speed inside a throwing cage. Jones, who is coached by her father and former competitive hammer thrower Brentt Jones, demonstrated both skill and composure on the regional stage with her record-breaking performance.

 

Menzies Reaches Two Sprint Finals

Kingston Menzies, 17, qualified for the finals of both the Under-18 Men's 100 metres and 200 metres, competing against some of Oceania’s fastest sprinters. 

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In the 100 metres final, Menzies finished eighth with a time of 11.61 seconds. The race was won by Australia's Samuel Galstuch Magalhaes in 10.69 seconds, with fellow Australian Epeosi Ugbomhe taking second in 10.72 seconds.

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In the 200 metres, Menzies qualified for the final with a time of 23.87 seconds in the preliminary round, then improved to 23.31 seconds in the final to finish eighth. Australia's Dylan Ruming claimed gold in 21.18 seconds. 

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Menzies achieved personal bests in both sprint events, and this was his first major championship at this level. The experience of competing against the region's best will prove invaluable. As he continues to gain international competition experience and develop his speed and technique, his times will only continue to improve. At just 17 years old, Menzies has already shown he can compete on the regional stage, and his performances in Darwin mark an important step in his athletic development.

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Valuable International Experience

For both athletes, the championships provided crucial exposure to high-level competition. Team manager Dylan Menzies reported that the team prepared carefully throughout the week, balancing rest and recovery with focused training and mental preparation.

 

The experience of competing at this level, alongside athletes from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and other Pacific nations, is invaluable for Norfolk Island's developing athletics program. Both Jones and Menzies are part of a new generation of island athletes building on the work of those who came before them. He also noted with a smile that Kingston is well on his way to surpassing his own sprint times from his competitive days.
 

2026 Oceania Athletics Championships Results