Taina Basiyalo 
Fiji sprint star Heleina Young has underlined her place among the Pacific’s best after finishing fifth overall in the Pacific Islands Women’s Athletics Top 10 Rankings for 2025.
Based on the latest World Athletics rankings as of December 23, Young is the highest-ranked Fijian sprinter on the list, earning an overall score of 967 points to place her among the region’s very best across all track and field events.
The rankings are led by Papua New Guinea’s Adrine Monagi, followed by compatriot Leonie Beu, with Isila Apkup third.
Young’s fifth-place finish puts her ahead of several established names from across the Pacific and underlines her growing consistency on the international stage.
Unlike event-specific lists, the Overall World Athletics Rankings compare athletes from all disciplines using a performance-based scoring system.
Each competition result earns a Performance Score, calculated by combining an athlete’s result score and placing score.
An athlete’s best five performances during the ranking period are then averaged to determine their overall ranking score.
For Young, the ranking reflects not just raw speed, but sustained performance against quality fields throughout the season — a key marker of elite-level athletics.
Her rise into the top five is another positive sign for Fiji athletics, particularly in the sprints, as the country continues to build depth and competitiveness ahead of major regional and international meets.
Oceania Athletics has confirmed that the Top 10 Pacific male athletes and overall Oceania rankings will be released soon, as attention turns to the next wave of standout performers across the region.
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