Commonwealth Games

In presenting the rice donation, TIL chief executive officer, Alan Preston, said Trukai has been a great partner of Team PNG and the PNG Olympic Committee for the past 23 years, and was happy to support Team PNG in both the Pacific Mini Games this month and the Commonwealth Games in July.

Accepting the donation, Chef de Mission to the Pacific Mini Games, Kila Dick, conveyed the team’s gratitude to Trukai for its continued support to Team PNG.

The four athletes include current Commonwealth Games silver medalists, Dika Toua and Morea Baru from Weightlifting and Geoffrey Loi and Tammy Agari from Table Tennis.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) confirmed that the four athletes had qualified through the regional qualification process. 

With 121 days before the Commonwealth Games, PNG’s medalist and lone boxer to the Tokyo Olympic Games (2021), John Ume is confident to get through the trials and into the Commonwealth ring, with trials set for today and tomorrow.

The Mark Keto coached side in Ume and fellow boxers, Charles Keama and Flora Loga have spent most of their time in training in Port Moresby and are hopeful of making Team PNG to Birmingham.

While the endorsement of the final team is pending, the top management for Team PNG has been appointed. The JC is the committee under the PNG Olympic Committee (PNGOC) that deliberates and endorses sports and their top athletes to take part as Team PNG in the Olympics, Commonwealth and Pacific Games.

Targeted sports that will represent Papua New Guinea at the 2022 Pacific Mini Games in Saipan, Northern Mariana Island, scheduled for June 17^th to 25^th 2022 are Athletics, Beach Volleyball, Golf, Tennis, Va’a and weightlifting.

The Governor General, as the Queen’s representative was honored to host the Queen’s Baton for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“Her Majesty the Queen has shared her message with us and the rest of the Commonwealth, which is securely stored in this Baton before you all. We look forward to hearing her message come July.”

He acknowledged PNG Sports Foundation (PNGSF) President Sir John Dawanincura and the Papua New Guinea Commonwealth Association for their faith and ongoing commitment to the Commonwealth.

He was awarded the David Dixon Award, given out at each Commonwealth Games.

The award is based on an athlete's performance at the event, fair play, and overall contribution to their team's participation at the Games. It is chosen by the Athletes' Advisory Commission.

In a speech at the closing ceremony, the Commonwealth Games Federation President, Louise Martin said Liti exhibited great sportsmanship and consideration for his fellow competitors while competing at the highest level.

"I can't describe it - it's been a great Games and this just tops it off", said Liti

Weightlifting led the way with 11 medals while boxing, lawn bowls, athletics, rugby sevens and beach volleyball combined for another seven.

The Pacific won 18 medals on the Gold Coast, their best return since winning 21 at the 2002 Games in Manchester.

Samoa was the region's top performer with two gold and three silver medals, their highest ever Commonwealth Games tally.

Papua New Guinea won three medals in weightlifting, including Steven Kari repeating his gold medal effort from 2014.

Blake was the favourite to be crowned men's sprint champion at Carrara Stadium, but the Jamaican could only take bronze after he failed to recover from a poor start and South Africa's Simbine eased to victory in 10.03 seconds ahead of compatriot Henricho Bruintjies.

Ahye became the first woman from Trinidad and Tobago to win 100m gold, crossing the line in 11.14secs ahead of Jamaica duo Christania Williams and Gayon Evans on the Gold Coast.

About 100 noisy but peaceful protesters were contained by police outside the venue some 90 minutes before the official start of the ceremony, attended by Britain's Prince Charles, his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The protesters, carrying signs that read "colonisation is not a game", had earlier disrupted a leg of the Queen's Baton Relay and demanded Britain's royal family members ask them for permission to visit "stolen" land.

Meaning “Never Say Die” or “Never Give Up,” from one of the main dialects in the Morobe province, it was the main message to Team PNG from the Governor General of Papua New Guinea, Sir Bob Dadae.

Sir Bob encouraged athletes to be confident in themselves and not be intimidated by other athletes or teams from other countries.

“Be confident. Believe in yourself. Focus on what you came here to do,” he said.