7th PNG Games

The Games will be held from March 18 to April 1 and will bring together 21 provincial teams and 12,000 athletes and officials.

KPHL Managing Director, Wapu Sonk announced KPHL Boards endorsement of the Gold Sponsor package of K500, 000.

Sonk stated that as Papua New Guineas national Oil and Gas Company, its vision is to create value and opportunity for Papua New Guineans and this Gold sponsorship gesture is a demonstration of the company’s vision.

Gringo said the team will take part in eighteen codes and will bring to Kimbe the best athletes of Madang Province to compete against favourites Team NCD and Team Morobe.

“We have athletics, basketball, boxing, volleyball, soccer, cricket, dart, golf, softball, snooker, kickboxing, karate, netball, rugby touch, rugby sevens, rugby nines, power lifting and beach volleyball.

“Our code directors are working around the clock to ensure the athletes pass the entire test and above all, are committed to training, discipline and follow the regulations of the team,” Gringo said.

Central provincial sports coordinator, Henry Kavana, confirmed the sports include athletics, golf, karate, rugby league 9s, taekwondo, soccer, volleyball, weightlifting, netball and golf.

Athletics has the biggest number of athletes with 48 (24 male and 24 female).

He added that Team Central won’t participate in sports inlcuding hockey, AFL, softball and swimming.

486 athletes and team officials will be travelling for Team Central.

The PNG Games will run from March 18- April 1.

The WNBCCI is urging the PNG Sports Foundation and the WNB Host Organizing Committee to carefully consider deferring the 2017 games to October.

In an official correspondence to Loop PNG, WNBCCI president, Ian O’Hanlon, tells PNG Loop that the proposed month for the games to be held is one of the wettest.

He said the issue was raised during their September meeting, which was attended, by Governor, Sasindran Muthuvel, and a PNG Sports Foundation representative.

West New Britain Chamber of Commerce and Industry President, Ian O’Hanlon, tells PNG Loop that the deferral has been met with both good and bad reactions.

For service providers the deferral has hurt planning and budgeting made in advance to prepare for the Kimbe Games.

He said many guesthouses, hotels, schools, churches, women’s groups, wholesalers and retailers have overcommitted in preparation for a huge influx of people in November.

“Now budgets have been blown and the service providers have to hang on and survive for a few more months,” said O’Hanlon.

The tournament saw boxers from Ramu Sugar Kickboxing Association challenging  Madang Kickboxing Association athletes to make the final selection.

Madang Provincial Community Development Assistant Director Joe Bande who is Team Madang was there to witness the fights and present the trophies and medals to the winners.

Bande said the tournament is the final one, and after that the selected boxers will go into training in preparation for the 7^th PNG Games in Kimbe.

“The boxers took part in 53kg, 54kg, 55kg, 59kg, 60kg, 62kg and 65kg division,”