Francis Kompaon

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{short description|T46 Papua New Guinean track and field athlete}}

{{MedalTableTop|medals=

{{MedalSport | Men's para athletics (T46)}}

{{MedalCountry|{{PNG}}}}

{{MedalCompetition|Paralympic Games}}

{{MedalSilver| 2008 Beijing | 100 m T46}}

{{MedalCompetition|Pacific Games}}

{{MedalSilver|2015 Port Moresby|100 m Ambulent}}

}}

Francis Kompaon (born 16 January 1986 in Rabaul[http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRMP/ENG/BIO/Athlete/2/1208712.shtml Francis Kompaon's biography] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918044254/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRMP/ENG/BIO/Athlete/2/1208712.shtml |date=18 September 2008 }} on the official website of the 2008 Paralympics) is a T46 Papua New Guinean athlete.

He represented Papua New Guinea at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, competing in athletics in the one hundred metre sprint, T46 category. With a time of 11.10 seconds, he finished second in the final, five hundredths of a second behind Australia's Heath Francis. It was Papua New Guinea's first ever Olympic or Paralympic medal,[http://www.athletics-oceania.com/index.cgi?det=1&intArticleID=1921&sID=2 "Silver for Francis Kompaon"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923203639/http://www.athletics-oceania.com/index.cgi?det=1&intArticleID=1921&sID=2 |date=23 September 2009 }}, Oceania Athletics Association, 15 September 2008[http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080916/view01.htm "Kompaon a champ on our national day"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616205029/http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080916/view01.htm |date=16 June 2011 }}, Post Courier, 16 September 2008[http://www.theage.com.au/news/performer-of-the-week/heath-francis-triple-paralympic-gold-medallist/2008/09/15/1221330753449.html "Heath Francis: Triple Paralympic gold medallist"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920053015/http://www.theage.com.au/news/performer-of-the-week/heath-francis-triple-paralympic-gold-medallist/2008/09/15/1221330753449.html |date=20 September 2008 }}, The Age, 16 September 2008 and only the second ever Olympic or Paralympic medal won by a Pacific Islander; Tongan boxer Paea Wolfgramm had won a silver at the 1996 Olympics.[http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200809/s2367845.htm "Francis' medal for PNG the start of 'something special'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604055211/https://www.abc.net.au/radio-australia/ |date=4 June 2021 }}, ABC Radio Australia, 18 September 2008 He also competed in the 200-metre sprint, finishing ninth overall in the heats, with a time of 23.30 seconds.[http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080911/sport06.htm "Kompaon eyes 100m"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616205242/http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080911/sport06.htm |date=16 June 2011 }}, Post Courier, 11 September 2008 Kompaon was his country's flagbearer at the Games' opening ceremony,[http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/News/Press_Releases/Flagbearers_List_Opening_Ceremony_Final_5_Sept1.pdf Official list of flagbearers] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080909184931/http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/News/Press_Releases/Flagbearers_List_Opening_Ceremony_Final_5_Sept1.pdf |date=9 September 2008 }} on the website of the International Paralympic Committee and was one of fifteen competitors (out of over 4000) selected to carry the torch during the Paralympic torch relay in Beijing.[http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080903/sport02.htm "Sponsors bid PNG farewell"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616205038/http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080903/sport02.htm |date=16 June 2011 }}, Post Courier, 3 September 2008

He had previously won several gold medals at regional competitions in Oceania, and had finished fourth in the 200m sprint for élite athletes with disabilities at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.[http://www.athletics-oceania.com/index.cgi?det=1&intArticleID=1901&sID=2 "Preview of Island Athletes at the Paralympic Games"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923204012/http://www.athletics-oceania.com/index.cgi?det=1&intArticleID=1901&sID=2 |date=23 September 2009 }}, Oceania Athletics Association, 1 September 2008

Papua New Guinea's sports minister Dame Carol Kidu said that Kompaon's Paralympic medal had "raised the issue of disability in Papua New Guinea to a level that it has never been".[http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200809/s2368156.htm?tab=latest "PNG senators 'thrilled' by Kompaon Paralympics silver"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604055215/https://www.abc.net.au/radio-australia/?tab=latest |date=4 June 2021 }}, ABC Radio Australia, 18 September 2008 In direct response to Kompaon's medal, Prime Minister Michael Somare promised that the government would increase funding for disability sports.[http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200809/s2369152.htm?tab=sport "Sir Michael boosts disabled sport, Kompoan (sic) gets performance bonus"], ABC Radio Australia, 19 September 2008 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919163453/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200809/s2369152.htm?tab=sport |date=19 September 2008 }}

In 2009, Kompaon enrolled in sports management at Griffith University in Queensland.{{cite news|url=http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200901/s2470948.htm |title=Kompoan (sic) heading to QLD's Griffith Univserity |publisher=ABC Radio Australia |date=21 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313162831/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200901/s2470948.htm |archivedate=13 March 2012 }}

He qualified as one of two athletes to represent Papua New Guinea at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London,[http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/31110 "Harabe makes London Games"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018154109/https://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node%2F31110 |date=18 October 2018 }}, The National, 5 April 2012 and was again selected to be his country's flag-bearer during the Games' opening ceremony[http://yourcardiff.walesonline.co.uk/2012/08/23/paralympic-athletes-praise-cardiff-for-warm-welcome/ "Paralympic athletes praise Cardiff for warm welcome"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825140736/http://yourcardiff.walesonline.co.uk/2012/08/23/paralympic-athletes-praise-cardiff-for-warm-welcome/ |date=25 August 2012 }}, Your Cardiff, 23 August 2012 competed in the men's 100m and 200m T46 (the category for upper limb amputees). In the 200m, he finished sixth (of eight) in his heat, with a new personal best of 23.05, and did not advance to the final.[http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/athletics/event/men-200m-t46/index.html?v=20120831-214059791 Results : men's 200m T46] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907060619/http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/athletics/event/men-200m-t46/index.html?v=20120831-214059791 |date=7 September 2012 }}, official website In his main event, the 100m, he finished third (of seven) in heat 2, qualifying for the final as the fastest loser overall with a personal best time of 11.21 (fifth fastest overall over the three heats). In the final, however, he was unable to repeat his Beijing performance; he "injured his hamstring near the finish line" and finished seventh (of eight) in 12.28.[http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/athletics/event/men-100m-t46/phase=atm141100/index.html Results: men's 100m T46] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120908055952/http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/athletics/event/men-100m-t46/phase=atm141100/index.html |date=8 September 2012 }}, official website[http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=70777 "Sport: PNG’s Kompaon misses out on medal in 100m final"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604055238/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international |date=4 June 2021 }}, Radio New Zealand International, 6 September 2012