NMHU's Topal, Toako win gold at Pacific Games in Samoa

After the shining success they showed competing for New Mexico Highlands during the 2019 season, Annie Topal and Sharon Toako continued it this summer as both won gold at the Samoa 2019 Pacific Games held in Apia, Samoa.
 
Topal, who won the NCAA Division II triple jump championship this spring at 13.02 meters, won gold for her country of Papua New Guinea in the same event at the Pacific Games with a distance of 12.91 meters despite the rainy conditions.
 
Topal, who won bronze at the 2015 Pacific Games, said she thought she had a chance to get on the medal stand.
 
"I was aiming for silver or bronze, but wasn't expecting gold," Topal said to the Pacific Games News Service. "My coaches told me winning was all about confidence. I got support from everyone, but I also knew I had to adapt to the weather. My confidence was high, which helped me."
 
Toako, who finished in fifth at the NCAA Division Championships in the javelin at 49.18 meters, won gold as well for Papua New Guinea in that event at the Pacific Games with a distance of 47.13 meters – also in the heavy rain.
 
"I was 100 percent confident that I was going to get this gold, so I just went and did my best and I got it," Toako told the Pacific Games News Service. "I am giving back to Papua New Guinea, my family, my friends and my country with this gold."
 
Toako just finished her senior year at NMHU while Topal just completed her sophomore season and has two more to go competing for the Cowgirls.
  Also this summer, a trio of NMHU Cowgirls were named USTFCCA NCAA Division II Academic All-Americans on July 22.
 
Topal, Maria Sotomayor and Serena Canegan were named to the team. Get the full list here.