John Kokinai

John Kokinai (17 May 1951 – 26 September 1992) was a Papua New Guinean long-distance runner. Growing up in Bauluaku, he started competing in cross-country races on the island. Over a course of five years, he had won six national championship titles in various long-distance races. He made his international debut at the 1971 South Pacific Games, earning two medals. At the subsequent games in 1975, he won three gold medals with a gap between second place, and one bronze medal.

Kokinai was then invited to compete for Papua New Guinea at the 1976 Summer Olympics, which would be the first ever Papua New Guinean Olympic team. He competed in the men's marathon and 5000 metres though did not medal in the events. After his career, he studied outside of Bougainville and never returned to the island. He was later inducted to the Papua New Guinea Sports Hall of Fame. He died in Port Moresby on 26 September 1992. Biography John Kokinai was born on 17 May 1951 in Bauluaku in Buin, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. He started training in long-distance running in Bougainville and began to compete in cross-country races.

Domestically, he had won in the men's 3000 metre steeplechase and 10,000 metres at a 1971 competition in Port Moresby. He ran in times of 9:25.8 and 31:34.1, respectively, both setting national records. He had also won the gold in the men's 3000 metre steeplechase at the 1972 National Athletics Championships. He then made his international debut for Papua New Guinea at the 1971 South Pacific Games in Papeete in Tahiti. His main rival was Usaia Sotutu of Fiji. Kokinai had won a silver medal in the men's 3000 metre steeplechase with a time of 9:31.2 and a bronze medal in the 5000 metres with a time of 15:34.8, both placing behind Sotutu. A few days later, he competed in the men's marathon. He had run in a time of 2:41:49 and placed 59th out of the 60 people that finished the race.

Kokinai studied outside of Bougainville and never returned to the island.