Agari Misses Out On First Win

Team Papua New Guinea’s Tammi Agari narrowly missed a win in her second match against Fiji’s Touea Titana, in the Women’s Singles table tennis event at the National Exhibition Centre on Wednesday.

The 16-year-old from Tubusereia in the Central Province, managed to shake off the nerves after the loss of her first match to push her Fijian opponent all the way into the seventh game only to be edged out 4-3 (18 – 16, 10 – 12, 9 – 11, 12 –10, 11 – 4, 6 – 11, 11 – 9).

In the Men’s Singles, Geoffrey Loi put up spirited performances in his 4-0 losses to Barbados’ Tyrese Knight and to Malaysia’s Qi Shen Wong.

Among the Team PNG supporters in the crowd was Chef de Mission, Michael Henao who commended the two youngsters on their improved performances.

Henao said: “We are proud of your efforts thus far. You are young and have a long way to go and will only get better. Learn, reset and do your best in the Doubles.”

Loi and Agari are students at the Butuka Academy in Port Moresby and do long commuting everyday from Tubusereia to school, then after to training and then back home to Tubusereia.

“A lot of sacrifice has been put in by our athletes and officials to prepare for this competition and we encourage support from our fellow Papua New Guineans,” said Henao.

“Unless we have walked, run and played in their shoes, we will truly appreciate their hard work and sacrifices – the sweat, the tears and the hardship that came with it.”

In other results from Day 6 of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Team PNG’s Squash Mixed Doubles pairing of Amity Alarcos and Feanor Siaguru went down to Donna Lobban and Cameron Pilley of Australia 2-0.

To the track and field, Edna Boafob recorded a Personal Best in the Women’s Heptathlon with a total of 4068 points finishing eighth overall. 

Emmanuel Wanga placed seventh in his heat of the Men’s 400m with a time of 48.23 seconds.

Team PNG athletes and officials who are based at the Commonwealth Games Village at the NEC were also honoured to have met the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward on Wednesday.

Weightlifter Morea Baru had the pleasure of showing the Prince his Commonwealth Games silver medal.

Author: 
Press release