Toua Udia

Six PNG weightlifters hope to qualify for 2018 Games

To compete at next year’s Commonwealth Games in weightlifting, an athlete must now qualify as no longer can countries send a team to compete.

The six PNG lifters are currently training at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute, namely Thelma Toua, Dika Toua, Morea Baru, Toua Udia, Steven Kari and Lorraine Harry.

Oceania coach Paul Coffa confirmed that only fifteen lifters in the Oceania region, one per country, per category will be eligible to compete in the Gold Coast Games.

In the Oceania region there are only two events this year, where an athlete can qualify.

Four athletes graduate under PNGOC scholarship

This was after a year of committed studies with the institution under a scholarship from the PNG Olympic Committee’s (PNGOC) Athletes Excellence Program.

Weightlifters Dika Toua, Lorraine Harry, Toua Udia and footballer, Abel Redenut, took time out from their sports to take up studies under the program, which is supported by the IBS.

The PNGOC established the program to cater for life after sport for the country’s elite sports men and women.