Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games

Katua was focused from the first bell, landing blow after vicious blow on Henry Kia. The match was stopped midway through the second round after Katua floored his opponent as the referee counted Kia back into the fight.

“It was a strong fight. I always have a good fight against Solomon Islands. I expected to win,” Katua said.

The PNG fighter was a clear winner in the first round with all four judges awarding him the points. In the second round, the referee had to again stop the match and declared Katua the winner with a Technical Knock Out.

Four years ago, Rachel competed at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games where she did not finish the course.

“After Glasgow, I went back home and thought I want to have another shot," Rachel, 34, said. "A lot of the girls from developing countries got pulled off the course after the swim leg at Glasgow 2014 because it was Olympic distance.”

The 27-year-old arrived on the Gold Coast as part of the Nigerian team but is ineligible to compete because he represented Britain at the European Junior Championships in 2009.

Edwards, who was born in Manchester but has a Nigerian mother and citizenship, has protested against his situation with a home-made sign in the athletes' village.

"It was nine years ago - it is a worse sentence that a drug cheat gets," he told BBC Sport.

"I am walking around the village with my Nigerian kit and unsure if I can even walk in the stadium and represent.

Under this support, the Pacific’s leading insurer will be taking care of the team’s medical and travel insurance giving them peace of mind as they focus on their roles at the Games.

“We want the team to be focused and not worry about other issues so we are pleased to provide this support and be part of the Team and the Games,” said chief insurance officer David Lee.

The cover is part of Capital Insurance Group’s sponsorship support for Team PNG which protects the team members and their cargo for the duration of the Games period.

Rugby Australia high performance manager Ben Whitaker said the team was shocked at the incident and the fact that Stannard would no longer be leading them during the April competition.

"It would have been James' third Commonwealth Games. He's an extremely important member of our team both on the field and off the field," Mr Whitaker said.

In a statement, Rugby Australia said Stannard was struck by a man after speaking with him outside a fast-food shop in Coogee.

Police described the attack as "unprovoked" and said Stannard did not know his alleged attacker.

The 35 year old from Kundiawa in Chimbu province has represented PNG in women’s table tennis (ambulant and non-ambulant events) and athletics (shot put ambulant events).

“I feel very humbled to have been chosen as the country’s flag bearer. This is a blessing and an honour for a Para athlete like myself to have.

“This is a very special place to showcase PNG, flying our flag amongst all the other Commonwealth nations.”

The Queen’s Baton will be in PNG from December 1-5. The Baton will transit straight through to Kimbe, West New Britain Province, to prepare for the closing ceremony of the PNG Games on December 2.

Prior to making its appearance at the closing ceremony, the Baton will pay a visit to iconic sights of Kimbe town, including the New Britain Palm Oil Plantation. It will then make its way to Kimbe town where Baton bearers will take it through the streets of Kimbe town towards the Sasi Muthuvel Stadium.

The distinctive loop design will be the centerpiece of the Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR), a Games tradition that celebrates the Commonwealth’s diversity, inspires community pride and excites people about the world-class festival of sports and culture to come.

The Queen’s Baton carries a personal message to the athletes of the Commonwealth from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on a journey from Buckingham Palace to the Opening Ceremony of the Games, where the message is removed from the Baton and read aloud by Her Majesty or a representative.