Solomon Islands middle-distance runner Stephen Rahuasi has set a new national record at the Box Hill Burn meet held on Thursday in Melbourne, Australia.

The 23-year-old finished fifth in the 1000m race with a time of 2:33.28.

Speaking to Star Sports, Rahuasi said, he was very happy with his performance, especially as he has only been training for four weeks.

“It was not an easy race because I am only four weeks into training and not fully fit. Everyone started strongly, but I believed in myself. I am proud of the time I achieved,” he said.

He added that his time was two seconds faster than the target set by his coach.

“When I saw my time after the race, I was so happy because it was two seconds quicker than my target. I always aim to set new records every time I run. I give thanks to God,” he said.

This is the second national record for the 23-year-old. 

He also holds the national record for the one-mile race with a time of 4:39.57, set in December 2024.

Rahuasi is currently in his fourth week of a training camp in Australia, which began in January.

“My training in Melbourne has been great. I had the honour of training with Australian 800m record holder Peter Bol which is amazing. Things have not been easy in terms of fitness and finances, but I am pushing through,” he said.

Widely seen as a rising athlete in the Pacific region, Ruhasia shares the difficulty of balancing his athletics career with his studies at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU).

“Balancing sport and studies is not easy. Sometimes there is a lot of schoolwork and I almost give up. But I remind myself that athletics is how I represent my family and contribute to my country. That is what keeps me going,” he said.

Rahuasi also thanked his family and friends for their continued support and prayers.

With more international competitions coming up this year, including the Oceania Athletics Championships in May in Darwin, Rahuasi said he is aiming for even better results.

“I have been running for a long time and have represented my country many times. This year, I am aiming for more great results,” he said.

By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR