Yeshnil Karan (left) and Deborah Bulai

Over 200 athletes will be representing the country in the Oceania Championships at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva from Saturday.

National athletics coach Albert Miller says while the majority are local based, overseas-based athletes such as Yeshnil Karan and Deborah Bulai will be leading the charge while simultaneously chasing Olympic Games qualification.

“This is one step up from the Coke Games, we’ve been accustomed to everything coming to a standstill after the Cokes but this is another pathway for our athletes and looking forward to the Mini Games next year, please support your sons and daughters and not forgetting us the masters.”

Around 1200 athletes will be competing minus those from New Caledonia and Wallis & Futuna.

Oceania Championships Competitions Manager Tom O’Shaughnessy says members of the public can expect to see some exciting action on the tracks and field that they are not accustomed to such as the pole vault, hammer throw, decathlon and heptathlon events.

The Oceania Championships begins on Saturday with athletes to compete in the masters, open and age grades across the week-long competition.