Ioane Shoots Up Track & Field Ranks

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Kapolei track and field phenom Charlinda Ioane. Photo from Patrick Neilson.

Charlinda Ioane’s introduction to the shot put and discus was somewhat less than exciting: On warm afternoons in the Kapolei sun, she would retrieve those thrown by her older sisters, Charnelle and Charlee.

“She’s gone full circle,“laughed her mom and coach at Kapolei High School, Davilyn Neilson.“She used to go and run after the discus for her sisters and throw it back. Now, we have people to shag for her.”

Ioane recently completed her first season at Kapolei with an amazing post-season run that saw her capture first-place finishes in the OIA in both events on May 2.

The spring marked not only her first year competing for Kapolei, but also her first year competing, period, in track and field. Even more noteworthy, her late-season heroics came after having spent her regular season on the JV team. She was seeded sixth in the discus and fourth in the shot put before winning both events, covering 39 feet, 2.25 inches and 121.02 feet in the discus and shot put, respectively.

Ioane’s quick rise in the sport is less surprising when her family connections are revealed. Neilson was a thrower in her own prep days at Kailua High School (as Davilyn Kamakea), and Charnelle and Charlee were both OIA champions at the JV level in the discus and shot put themselves. Charlee also qualified for the State Track and Field Championships in the shot put and the discus last month for the second consecutive time, while Charnelle has returned to coach with her mom at Kapolei after her own stellar career at the school.

A three-time state qualifier, Charnelle still holds the OIA West record in the discus of 116.06 feet, set in 2004, and “has a lot to contribute as a coach,” according to Neilson.

For her part, Charlinda credits the family’s interest in athletics with keeping them a close-knit bunch.“It’s a family affair,” she said. “With my sister also a thrower and my older sister coaching with my mom, we get to do it together. I don’t see them during the rest of the year because I also play volleyball and basketball during the other seasons, so this is a way to spend more time together.”

While she had high expectations, Charlinda’s first-place finish at the OIA overall finals came as a surprise even to her. She is believed to be the first freshman ever to capture both events in the OIA’s long history.

Another goal driving Charlinda behind the scenes: “She really wants to break her sister’s (Charnelle’s) record,“Neilson said, noting that Charlinda narrowly missed it at the JV finals in April.

“She was a little short, less than the size of her size 13 shoe.”