Kapolei Track And Field Standout Sets State Shot Put Record

The call Charlinda Ioane hoped for came on Valentine’s Day, which seems fair. While the Kapolei High track and field standout had kept her options open during her recruitment, her love affair with the University of Hawaii goes back to her childhood.

“That was the day I found about my scholarship offer (from UH),” she said. “It was a relief. Mainland kids look up to NFL players and pro teams, but UH is the only thing kids have here. I’ve always been around UH and followed them. I had been contacted by 23 different schools, but had always kept my options open to see who offered and then who offered the most.

“Going to UH is more of a blessing,” she added. “I can stay home, and I don’t have to live on the Mainland. I’ll be dorming.”

It’s been quite a year already for Ioane, who recently set a new state record in the shot put at the state track and field championships with a throw that covered 45-09.75. The previous record of 44-03, held by Sarah Bryant (Kaiser), had stood for 27 years.

The morning of the finals was far from routine for Ioane, who had thrown 42-10 in the prelims. “Normally I don’t practice on the day (of the event), but there were things I hadn’t done as well as usual in Friday’s preliminaries,” she said. “I went to work on my technique because it wasn’t clicking as usual. Usually, you have a day off to make corrections, but this was the state meet.”

Ioane won both the discus and the shot put events in the OIA finals this spring and was the OIA discus champion in 2011 as well. Her personal best was recorded at the Punahou Relays in mid-April, where she threw 46-05.5 to also set a new record. Her reward for a memorable season was a mere two days off, however, as Ioane is traveling to Indianapolis next weekend to compete at the U.S. Junior Nationals.

“I took two days off mainly for school (studies), and then we were right back at it,” she said. “(Track and field) takes a lot of dedication. You have to constantly go over your steps.”

At the Jr. Nationals, Ioane will need to cover 47 feet to move on to the next competition. “That’s the next part – having to throw it (47 feet and beyond),” she laughed.

For her long-range development, Ioane is excited to compete at UH under second-year assistant Seilala Sua-Zumbado, the program’s “throws” coach. During her own playing days at UCLA, Sua-Zumbado won seven NCAA championships and was a 14-time All-American who competed in all four throwing events – shot put, discus, hammer and javelin. She still ranks in the UCLA’s all-time Top 10 in each of those events.

At UH, Ioane is will major in kinesiology. “I hope to get into their physical therapy program,” she said. “Class work and athletics help keep me balanced.”