Member for Madang Nixon Duban along with Madang Governor Jim Kas kick-started the 7th Madang Provincial Games yesterday.
The Madang Provincial Games opening ceremony saw district teams doing a march past starting from Kusbau Primary School in their colours with traditional singsing group from Amele area leading them in.
Madang Provincial Sports Coordinator Robin Hevesa said the opening ceremony was done in the Madang way seeing teams enjoying the speeches given by the guests followed by the Madang and the National anthems being sung.
Hevesa said the games include 12 teams of men and women athletes representing six districts as endorsed and approved by the six districts Community Development Program Managers.
“In total, 72 teams one male and one female will be participating in eight sporting events of soccer, volleyball, basketball, touch footy, dart, kickboxing and karate,”
“The game kicks off today and will run for four days before the closing ceremony and the awards presentation and the official announcement of the Province’s champion district and the winners,” Hevese said.
He said soccer and volleyball started yesterday with darts while others will all start today.
Madang Governor Jim Kas in his speech urged the districts to show through sportsmanship and aim to be in the final selection for the PNG Games in West New Britain.
He said the Provincial Government has supported this provincial games with K200,000 and will continue to support sports in the Province and teams that will represent Madang in PNG Games.
Meanwhile, Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Nixon Duban wished the teams all the best in the four days of games and urged them to do their best in the games and make it into the selections for the PNG Games.
He said the Government has put funds for sports like the Pacific Games last year and PNG Games this year and urged teams and individuals to strive to make it into th squad and finally to Team PNG from the PNG Games.
Chairman of the Provincial Games Committee John Gringo thanked all teams for making it and the Provincial Government for the funding.
He also challenged the teams to play their best games in each code and make it into the Madang squad.