Long jumper Roland Hure is all set to leave for the United States on Saturday under a two year Oceania Australia Foundation Scholarship to attend Southwestern Community College in Iowa.
Hure, a gold medalist at both the PNG Games and Pacific Mini Games in 2017, will join Benjamin Aliel, who will be starting his second year at South Western under scholarship on the same program.
The Oceania Australia Foundation have granted scholarships to many Pacific Island athletes through this program which is supported by the Oceania National Olympic Committee. Previous beneficiaries from PNG Athletics have been Wala Gime, Cecilia Kumalalamene, Sharon Kwarula, Theo Piniau and John Rivan.
Whilst a student at Gordon’s Secondary School, Hure was coached by John Gitiri and encouraged to participate in local and national competitions. He jumped an outstanding 7.21m to win the long jump gold at the PNG Games in Kimbe and continued this great form at the Pacific Mini Games less than three weeks later. It was these performances that won him the scholarship against competition from other athletes from PNG and around the Pacific in different sports who were nominated last year for this year’s intake.
The scholarship includes tuition fees and full board accommodation and meals as well as round trip airfares.
Athletics PNG President Tony Green thanked the Foundation for its continuing support, and the PNG Olympic Committee for nominating Hure.
“The opportunity is there for Benjamin and Roland to secure university scholarships to continue in the USA and earn a degree upon completion of their two years at Southwestern,” he stated.
(File picture by John Gitiri)