Sharon Firisua

{{short description|Solomon Islands track and field athlete|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| headercolor = lightblue

| name = Sharon Firisua

| image = Sharon Firisua Rio2016.jpg

| image_size = 170px

| caption = Firisua at the 2016 Olympics

| fullname =

| nickname =

| nationality = {{SOL}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|12|15|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Malu'u, Solomon Islands

| death_date =

| death_place =

| education =

| sport = Athletics

| event = 1500 m, 5000 m, steeplechase

| height = 1.52 m{{cite web|url=https://results.gc2018.com/en/athletics/athlete-profile-n6007143-sharon-firisua.htm|title=2018 CWG bio|accessdate=28 April 2018}}

| weight = 50 kg

| collegeteam =

| club = Glenhuntly Athletic Club

| coach = Trevor Vincent

| highestranking =

| pb = 1500 m – 4:58.45 (2013)
3000 mS – 11:50.31 (2015)
5000 m – 18:01.62(2016)

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{SOL}} }}

| show-medals =

| updated = 23 August 2016

}}

Sharon Kikini Firisua (born 15 December 1993) is a Solomon Islands track and field athlete. At the 2016 Summer Olympics she competed in the 5000 m event. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, she competed in the Women's marathon.{{Cite web|title=Athletics - FIRISUA Sharon|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1305070-firisua-sharon.htm|url-status=dead|access-date=2021-09-04|work=Tokyo 2020 Olympics|publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games|language=en-us|archive-date=2021-09-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904191820/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1305070-firisua-sharon.htm}}

Career

Firisua is from Loina on the island of Malaita.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/18/sharon-firisua-solomon-islands-pacific-games-gold-marathon-paris-olympics |title=From lucky shoes to Olympic trailblazer: Solomon Islands athlete pushes for Pacific Games gold |work=The Guardian |author=Patrick Skene |date=17 November 2023 |access-date=18 November 2023}} In 2013 she was named the Solomon Islands Sportswoman of the Year. She started training seriously in 2010 and at her second Pacific Games in 2015 she took two gold medals at 5000 and 10,000m[http://theislandsun.com/double-gold-firisua-extends-gold-tally-for-team-solomons/ DOUBLE GOLD: FIRISUA EXTENDS GOLD TALLY FOR TEAM SOLOMONS], June 2015, The Island Sun, Retrieved 27 August 2016 and another in the half marathon in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Firisua represented the Solomon Islands in the women's 100 metres event at the 2024 Summer Olympics.{{Cite web |last=Narayan |first=Shivneel |date=2024-08-03 |title=Pacific NOCs at the Olympics – 02 August |url=https://www.oceanianoc.org/press/pacific-nocs-at-the-olympics---02-august |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=www.oceanianoc.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Goile |first=Aaron |date=2024-08-03 |title=Solomon Islands marathoner Sharon Firisua clocks 14.31 seconds in 100m at Paris Olympics |url=https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/sport/350365966/solomon-islands-marathoner-sharon-firisua-clocks-1431-seconds-100-metres-paris |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=www.waikatotimes.co.nz}} She ran a personal best time of 14.31 seconds during the preliminary round and finished last in her heat. At the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, Firisua carried the flag of the Solomon Islands.{{cite news |last1=Braidwood |first1=James |title=Every Olympic flagbearer for Paris 2024 closing ceremony including Alex Yee and Katie Ledecky |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/olympics-flagbearer-paris-usa-teamgb-b2594760.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240811213613/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/olympics-flagbearer-paris-usa-teamgb-b2594760.html |archive-date=11 August 2024 |work=The Independent}}