Theo Piniau, a May 2015 graduate of Southwestern Community College, has been selected by Athletics Papua New Guinea to compete in the men’s 200m dash at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this August.
Piniau, whose hometown is Kokopo, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, earned selection by virtue of running a national leading 200m dash time of 20.97 seconds on June 4 in Florida.
In reaction to his selection, Piniau told FOX Sports Pulse, “I do not really have much to say but all I can say is that it is a great privilege for me and I really look forward for final preparations before competing at that level of competition against whoever it may be. I'd like to thank Athletics PNG for help building me up from first recognition in high school to my current state, also thanks to PNGOC and management for their efforts in supporting APNG as a whole.”
Piniau just completed his junior year at West Texas A&M in Canyon, TX, where he claimed USTFCCCA All-American Honors in the 4x400m relay and the 4x100m relay for the Buffs.
At Southwestern, Piniau competed on the track and field team under Coach Bill Huntington from August 2013-May 2015. During the summer of 2014, while on summer break from Southwestern, Piniau became a national champion for Papua New Guinea by winning the 400 meter dash during the Papua New Guinea National Championships in Kokopo, PHG. He was also a member of the winning 4x400 and 4x100 teams. Piniau holds school records at Southwestern in the 200m, 4x100, 400m, and 4x400m.