Experienced athlete and Cook Islands middle distance champion Alex Beddoes has been elected to the 2024 Oceania Athletics Association Athletes’ Commission (OAA).

The athletes elected to the OAA Commission are: Beddoes, Dame Valerie Adams of New Zealand, Chloe David of Vanuatu and Regine Tugade of Guam.

The OAA Council will announce the chairperson of the Commission and will call for further nominations to fill the remaining three appointed positions to the Commission.

Athletics Cook Islands president Simone Fe’ao congratulated Beddoes on his election to one of the four Athletes’ Commission positions. He was chosen from a field of eight candidates.

Fe’ao said Beddoes has 10 years of experience in athletics in the region and knows the challenges for athletes in the Pacific.

“Alex will do a great job on ensuring the voice of the athletes is heard,” she said.

The 29-year-old athlete has represented the Cook Islands at Olympic, Commonwealth and Pacific games as well as Pacific Mini Games over the years.

He took part in the 2013 Pacific Mini Games in Mata Utu (Wallis and Futuna) and at the 2017 Pacific Mini Games in Port Vila, Vanuatu, he won gold in the 800 metres.

Beddoes competed in the Men’s 800 metres at the 2016 Summer Olympics where he finished ninth in the heats and set a personal best.

He also competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Men’s 800 metres, placing 7th in the heat.

Beddoes was part of the 2019 Pacific Games, winning the men’s 800 metres and men’s 1500 metres gold medals. He had set his sights on conquering his two main titles at last year’s Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands, but fell ill due to a foodborne illness. Beddoes demonstrated his resilience and determination, securing a bronze medal in the 1500m event in Honiara to set a new personal best and a new Cook Islands record of 3:56.88 minutes.

He was also awarded Sportsman of the Year 2023 at the Athletics Cook Islands awards.

Beddoes pulled out of the 2024 Oceania Athletics Championship in Suva, Fiji, this week due to an injury but assisted in coaching the Cook Islands team.

Meanwhile, the Cook Islands athletics team earned another bronze medal this week, with David Lobb winning it in the masters long jump event.

Fe’ao said another two national records were broken.

In the Under 18 female hammer throw, Ana Ellison-Lupena achieved a distance of 45.56 metres breaking Siniva Marsters’ record set in 1997.

Ellison-Lupena trains in Wellington under coaches Brad Sime and Shaka Sola.

Yesterday, Estelle Short and Daniel Tolosa competed in the 200m semi-finals, placing 10th and 12^th, respectively, and both recording new personal best times.

Elijah Poila took part in the open shotput event and finished in fifth spot.

In the 4x100m open men’s relay, Cook Islands was placed fifth. The team comprised Hiwi Wuatai, Max Teuruaa, Piri Nga and Daniel Tolosa

“We’ve had a good campaign. Unfortunate that Alex wasn’t able to compete but we have some good up and coming athletes on a good trajectory,” Fe’ao added.

The team returns on Sunday.