Fastest in Polynesia: Sāmoan sprinter wins 100m crown but the record still stands

Sāmoa’s Johnny Malua has claimed the title of the fastest man in Polynesia, winning the men’s 100 metres at the Polynesian Games in Auckland last weekend.

But the 23-year-old sprinter says his job is not finished yet after falling short of the time he had been chasing.

Malua crossed the line in 10.88 seconds, clinching the gold medal in a tight field of Pacific athletes. The result places him at the top of Polynesian sprinting for now, although he narrowly missed the long-standing games record of 10.83s.

Malua was among about 100 Pacific athletes competing at The Trusts Arena from 5 to 8 March, representing Sāmoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Niue, American Sāmoa, and French Polynesia.

Speaking with Tuilagi William Leolahi for Pacific Huddle, Malua says he was happy with his performance and grateful to his team and his supporters.

“The crowd was great that night. It was a great atmosphere,” he says.

Sāmoa’s Johnny Malua crosses the finish line after winning the men’s 100 metres final at the Polynesian Games in Auckland, clocking 10.88 seconds. Photo/Oceania Athletics.

He says the race started tightly, with strong competition from the field. “From the start I executed well, but the Fijian athlete was ahead of me by about half a metre,” Malua says.

As the race entered the final stretch, Malua says he knew his moment was coming.

“When we came to the 80 metres, that’s when I knew I had the win. I just gave it everything and finished strong."

Watch Johnny Malua win the 100 metres at the Polynesian Games

Despite the victory, Malua says he had hoped to run even faster and challenge the Games record.

“I was trying to chase the record for the Polynesian Games, which is 10.83 seconds,” he says.

Still, the win is special for Malua, who proudly represents his Sāmoan heritage and family roots in the villages of Vaitoloa and Lepea.

“They supported me from day one when I started track and field when I was young,” he says.

Like many Pacific athletes, Malua did not grow up focusing on one sport. He attended St Joseph’s College Sāmoa, where rugby sevens and fifteens were his main passions.

Sāmoa’s Johnny Malua and Symone Tafuna’i embrace after both winning their respective 100 metres finals at the Polynesian Games in Auckland. Photo/Oceania Athletics

“I liked rugby when I was a kid and that was my dream sport,” he says.

His focus shifted when he began training under coach Sam Achong. “That’s when I realised athletics was my passion, so I kept training and improving,” Malua says.

The Sāmoan sprinter’s rise also highlights the reality many Pacific athletes face when preparing for international competition.

Training opportunities and facilities in the islands are often limited compared with those available in bigger countries.

“We don’t have many facilities back home like athletes in New Zealand or Australia,” Malua says. “But I’m grateful for the work we’re doing and I trust God wherever I go.”

Malua also shares a message for young Pacific athletes hoping to follow a similar path.

Malua says he's grateful to his fellow Sāmoa team members for their support. Photo/Oceania Athletics.

“Don’t give up on your dreams. If you can dream it, you can achieve it,” he says. “Always put God first in whatever you do.”

His motivation comes from his family, particularly his mother, a former football player in Sāmoa.

“She always tells me to put God first and never give up on my dreams.”

With the Polynesian title now in his hands, Malua’s focus turns to bigger stages.

He is preparing for the upcoming Oceania Athletics Championships in Darwin with long-term ambitions of competing at the Commonwealth Games and eventually qualifying for the Olympic Games.

For now, the 100m champion carries more than just a medal. He carries the pride of Sāmoa and the wider Pacific as the region’s fastest man with his sights already set on the record he came so close to breaking.

Listen the full interview with Johnny Malua below.