| Athletics at the IV South Pacific Games | |
| Size: | 200px |
| Colour: | yellow |
| Host City: | Pirae, French Polynesia  |
| Dates: | September 9-15 |
| Stadium: | Stade Pater Te Hono Nui |
| Nations Participating: | 13 |
| Events: | 35 (22 men, 13 women) |
| Level: | Senior |
| Previous: | 1969 Port Moresby |
| Next: | 1975 Tumon, Guam |
| Games: | 1971 South Pacific Games |
Athletics competitions at the 1971 South Pacific Games were held at the Stade Pater Te Hono Nui in Pirae, French Polynesia, between September 9-15, 1971.
A total of 35 events were contested, 22 by men and 13 by women.
Medal winners and their results were published on the Athletics Weekly webpagecourtesy of Tony Isaacs and Børre Lilloe, and on the Oceania Athletics Association webpage by Bob Snow.
Complete results can also be found on the Oceania Athletics Association webpage.
| 100 metres (wind: 0.0 m/s) | 10.7 | 10.7 | 10.8 | ||||
| 200 metres (wind: +0.7 m/s) | 22.0 | 22.1 |  Paul Maraga (PNG) | 22.4 | |||
| 400 metres | 48.2 | 49.3 | Goa Koiti (PNG) | 50.0 | |||
| 800 metres | Phillip Kayo (PNG) | 1:54.1 |  Barry Morgan (SOL) | 1:55.4 | 1:55.5 | ||
| 1500 metres | 4:03.5 | Raka Vele (PNG) | 4:03.8 | 4:09.0 | |||
| 5000 metres | 15:15.4 | Ala Loi (PNG) | 15:20.4 | John Kokinai (PNG) | 15:34.8 | ||
| 10000 metres | 32:14.6 | Ala Loi (PNG) | 32:33.8 | Tom Brandt (PNG) | 32:43.4 | ||
| Marathon | 2:50:50 | Tom Brandt (PNG) | 2:51:59 | Gari Vagi (PNG) | 2:53:53 | ||
| 3000 metres steeplechase | 9:24.0 | John Kokinai (PNG) | 9:31.2 | Ala Loi (PNG) | 9:35.8 | ||
| 110 metres hurdles (wind: 0.0 m/s) | 14.6 | Raki Leka (PNG) | 15.1 | 15.1 | |||
| 400 metres hurdles | 52.9 | 53.9 | Moses Purpuruk (PNG) | 54.4 | |||
| High Jump | 2.06 | 2.06 | 1.98 | ||||
| Pole Vault | 4.40 | 4.20 | 4.10 | ||||
| Long Jump | Kila Raula (PNG) | 7.11 | 6.96 | 6.91 | |||
| Triple Jump | Piewavagi Waea (PNG) | 15.01 | 14.80 | 14.74 | |||
| Shot Put | 18.07 | 15.97 | 14.52 | ||||
| Discus Throw | 49.98 | 49.06 | 44.08 | ||||
| Hammer Throw | 48.38 | John Warnock (PNG) | 44.66 | 44.00 | |||
| Javelin Throw | 71.10 | 64.48 | Talper Nial (NHB) | 62.40 | |||
| Decathlon | 6556 | Raki Leka (PNG) | 6426 | 6328 | |||
| 4 x 100 metres relay | 41.8 | 41.8 | 42.7 | ||||
| 4 x 400 metres relay | 3:18.5 | 3:19.6 | 3:25.3 |
| 100 metres (wind: -3.5 m/s) | 12.9 | Salitia Pipit (PNG) | 12.9 | 13.0 | |||
| 200 metres | Salitia Pipit (PNG) | 25.8 | 25.8 | 26.0 | |||
| 400 metres | Salitia Pipit (PNG) | 58.1 | 59.4 | Gaet Nim (PNG) | 59.4 | ||
| 800 metres | Salitia Pipit (PNG) | 2:31.1 | Lucia Likonia (SOL) | 2:31.4 | Elisabeth Tito (SOL) | 2:34.3 | |
| 1500 metres | 5:11.3 | 5:11.7 | Lucia Likonia (SOL) | 5:12.8 | |||
| 100 metres hurdles (wind: 0.0 m/s) | 15.0 | 15.2 | 15.4 | ||||
| High Jump | 1.58 | 1.53 | 1.51 | ||||
| Long Jump | 5.45 | Nancy Kennedy (PNG) | 5.39 | 5.36 | |||
| Shot Put | 12.60 | Lavah Tingdai (PNG) | 11.86 | 11.61 | |||
| Discus Throw | 38.62 | 34.82 | Didin Kaltakae (NHB) | 33.72 | |||
| Javelin Throw | 42.16 | 40.82 | Kuniguda Namur (PNG) | 39.14 | |||
| Pentathlon | 3389 | Meg Taylor (PNG) | 3386 | 3383 | |||
| 4 x 100 metres relay | 49.4 | 49.6 | 50.4 |
Athletes from 13 countries were reported to participate:
