Athletics PNG

With regular competitions getting underway in Port Moresby and meets in Lae as well as in the New Guinea Islands, PNG based squad members will be out to prove their readiness for the Championships.

Athletics PNG expects to finalise its team at the end of April.

Secretary, Philip Rehder said in selecting its team for Oceania, the priority is to give those athletes who have the potential to qualify for the World Championships the opportunity to do so.

“We will then consider PNG based squad members preparing for the Pacific Mini Games,” said Rehder.

David Guka (NCD), Leeroy Kamau (ENB), Junior Posai (WNB), Damien Kotou (MAS), Jobbie Kinzu (MAD) and Emmanual Wanga (Lae) were selected by Athletics PNG (APNG) based on their performances in regional and national championships last year, with the aim to groom them for the future.

They six were joined in the camp by three athletes who are already established members of the national team- (Peniel Joshua, Ephraim Lerkin and Kaminiel Matlaun) as well as two coaches from West New Britain (Wilson Malana and Richard Latiti).

All were re-elected unopposed at the meeting, along with committee members Sophia Marai and Philip Kamane. Treasurer George Moramoro did not seek re-election and was replaced by Nola Peni.

However, the election of Bernard Manau as the third committee member ensures that East New Britain remains represented on the Committee.

A total of nine out of the 14 affiliates were represented at the meeting, with seven associations sending delegates and two appointing proxies.

The 26-year-old, who already holds the shot put and discus records added over three metres to the hammer throw record of 34.62m set by Vipi Sejuk at the 1993 Pacific Mini Games in Vanuatu .

The new mark of 37.95m was achieved on his third and final throw and was witnessed by a small group of athletes and officials including Athletics PNG President Tony Green.

Hammer throw is an event rarely conducted in PNG and for safety reasons competitions are usually conducted in isolation from main track and field competitions.

The concerns arose due to the circulation of an incorrect entry form around provinces, quantifying that each province is only allowed to register two athletes per event.

Athletics PNG President Tony Green clarifies that each province may nominate a maximum of three athletes for any event, including the half marathon.

“Any athlete may participate in a maximum of three individual events plus the relays. This may be three track events or three field events or a combination of the two,” Green said.

Secretary for APNG Philip Rehder said this is to avoid confusing athletes, coaches and observers. 

“APNG are the authority on the matter of team selections and this is not a multi-sport game where our athletes participate under the umbrella of Team PNG,” said Rehder.

This call was backed up by president of APNG, Tony Green, who said both sides of the story must be reported at all times.

“Before publishing negative stories about the conduct of sporting events, please get both sides of the story,” said Green.

The squad includes five PNG-based athletes and New Zealand-based 15-year-old Letisha Pukaikia.

Support from the PNG Olympic Committee has made possible the inclusion of USA-based athletes, including Rellie Kaputin, Theo Piniau, Adrine Monagi, Peniel Richard and Poro Gahekave. 

The championships will run from July 7-9.

Secretary of Athletics PNG, Philip Rehder, said only the very best of the up and coming junior athletes have been included due to funding constraints.

Most of the results have come from athletes taking part in international events.

But the focus is now on the domestic track and field season which is getting underway.

So far, the only local results reported have been from Lae where Wesley Logorava and Peniel Joshua have shown good results from early in the season.

Nancy Malamut has also showed potential in the 400m after starting her athletics career in the 100m and 200m.

They are three time Olympian and four time Pacific Games 400m hurdles Champion Mowen Boino, double Pacific Games 400m champion and London 2012 representative Nelson Stone and rising star in the 200m and 400m Theo Piniau.

Athletics PNG last year named the three contenders for this place and set out how the selection process will work.

The athlete selected will be the one who, by the PNG Olympic Committee deadline of June 19, has the best performance by reference to the IAAF scoring tables in Athletics.

Athletics PNG will select one female and one male athlete for the Games under the universality rule.

Universality rule guarantees every Olympic Committee a place for one male and one female athlete regardless of qualifying standards.

APNG president Tony Green says Wisil is in the drivers seat for selection if no one runs a qualifying time.

“We have drawn up selection guidelines to eliminate any doubts as to what would happen in the event that someone else runs a qualifying time,” said Green in a statement.