2019 Pacific Games

Team PNG needs effective communication: Officials

These were stressed during Team PNG’s 2019 Pacific Games evaluation workshop held in Port Moresby on Saturday by presenters from the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC), PNG Sports Foundation (PNGSF) as well as the national sports federations.

Team PNG’s vision for the 2019 Pacific Games was to make history on foreign soil – this was achieved by winning 131 medals, the largest medal haul at an overseas Pacific Games, and in the process managing to nudge hosts, Samoa, to third place and claim the second spot on the medal table behind New Caledonia.

Team PNG evaluates 2019 Games success

PNGOC has invited National Federation executives along with two national coaches and two athletes – a male and a female athlete – to participate in the workshop which will be held in Port Moresby this Saturday.

Secretary General of PNGOC, Auvita Rapilla, said the workshop provides an opportunity to reflect on Team PNG’s performance, analyze selection processes and preparations in order to improve for the next Pacific Games.

“It doesn’t end after one Game, we have to come back and plan and prepare again for the next event – we continue to strive for excellence,” she said.

PNG's golden hat trick in touch rugby, Samoa take silver

The 2015 Pacific Games Mixed Team silver medalists completed a hat-trick in 2019 to win the gold medal in the Mixed Team Division for complete dominance of this week’s touch rugby competition.

They have successfully defended their Men’s and Women’s titles from the 2015 Games with the win in Mixed Teams completing their dominance.

They did so in the deciding clash with Samoa, who were defending Mixed Team champions from the 2015 Pacific Games, though they trailed at the end of the first half.

Samoa play PNG for touch gold medal

Fiji will play the Cook Islands for the bronze medal at St Joseph's Field, Faleata.

Today’s semi finals saw PNG convincingly defeating Fiji 8-4 even though the Fijians showed a lot of prospect at a 3-3 draw at halftime.

The host country also finished strong with a 9-5 victory over the Cook Islands.

At the end of the two days of mixed team elimination, PNG tops the charts with Samoa in second place, Cook Islands in third and Fiji in fourth.

Boxing a learning experience for Pacific Games athletes

The four-day event has been staged at Don Bosco Hall, Salelologa, with finals happening on Friday.

For 19-year-old Solomon Islands’ Pemberton Lele, his progress to the finals has been about building skills. He is the only member from his team to make it to the finals, following a toe-to-toe fight against Elia Rokobuli from Fiji in the 60kg lightweight event.

“I have learnt to fight strong and new skills from other boxers I have fought and seen in the last few days,” he said ahead of his final.

Pacific’s fastest man reigns in thrilling 200m final

In a thrilling contest at Apia Park Stadium, Tabakaucoro was victorious in 20.87 seconds, inches ahead of Dodson who finished in 20.91 seconds. Papua New Guinea’s Theo Piniau snatched bronze in 21.70 seconds.

Both Tabakaucoro and Dodson fell after crossing the finish line, sending the medics out onto the field.

The Fijian admitted he was feeling very sore after the competition. “I expected to finish strong but not to fall over like that, but it just shows the level of competition here,” Tabakaucoro told the Pacific Games News Service.

Cook Islands to face Tonga for netball gold

Cook Islands booked a place in the final by defeating Papua New Guinea 58-31 at the Multisport Centre, Faleata, urged on by their boisterous fans.

“This is great for Cook Island netball. Last time we were in a gold medal match was 1991. We have a huge support base, both here and at home,” said coach Suzanne Evans.

Both teams entered the game undefeated from pool matches. Cook Islands took the lead and kept PNG goaled for the first four minutes.

Athletics PNG hauls in 19 medals so far

Apart from the 3000m steeplechase, the team achieved a second clean sweep on July 16th in the men’s 10000m.

Simbai Kaspar won his second gold with Siune Kagl second and James Kuadua third. Toea Wisil claimed PNG’s fourth gold of the Games with a dominant performance in the 100m, clocking 11.56 seconds ahead of Heleina Young of Fiji (11.82) and Leonie Beu (11.94).

Athletics PNG says Karo Iga deserves a special mention for a remarkable silver medal winning performance in the ten event decathlon with a total of 6643 points in his first competition in this event.

Pacific Games to crown fastest man

New Caledonia continue to lead the medals table from host nation Samoa, while a strong showing on the track lifted Papua New Guinea into fifth overall.

Papua New Guinea won six medals on the first day of athletics, including gold in the men's 3000m steeplechase and the women's 5000m.

That was enough to lift the reigning Pacific Games champions above Australia into fifth place overall with 13 gold, 22 silver and 13 bronze medals.

New Caledonia's shooters were on target in the team 25m short pistol to bring their total haul to 43 gold and 94 medals in all.

Clean sweep in 3000m steeplechase

Simbai Kasper, Sapolai Yao and Andipas Georasi respectively bagged gold, silver and bronze this afternoon at Apia Park.

“It's a special moment when three PNG flags are raised at the medal ceremony for one event,” said Team PNG.

In the women’s 5,000m, Poro Gahekave finished first while Mary Tenge followed behind to grab silver.

In the men's javelin throw, Lakona Gerega bagged bronze for PNG.

For the men’s 800m, Ephraim Lerkin, Messach Fred and Kaminiel Matlaun have qualified for the finals.