Pacific Games 2015

Pacific Games incentive payments close to completion

The PNG Olympic Committee (PNGOC) said 99 percent of payments have been made, at a cost of close to K4 million.

Out of 500 athletes, 495 of them have been paid.

PNGOC received funding from the PNG Government for the payments in early September and has since been processing these for athletes who won medals.

The remaining one percent, five athletes, are yet to sort arrangements with their sports on agreements and contracts covering them under their programs.

PNG won a total of 217 medals - 88 gold, 69 silver and 60 bronze.

Applause at Parliament for Pacific Games

He said without such good leadership from the government, the country would have been  very embarrassed and it would have sent  out  a bad reputation.

Namah also congratulated the four MPs of the National Capital District for their involvement as well.

He called on the government to continue its support for the PNG Games and to deliver the next PNG Games in Kimbe next year.

Minister for State Enterprises Ben Micah also congratulated the government , especially Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko for working tirelessly and delivering a good outcome.

Parkop: We can take on big events

He said so far PNG had been affiliated with the Commonwealth as a member for too long and it was “about time we host the Commonwealth Games’’.

"We can deliver anything. Nothing is impossible that we can't do.

"If we can deliver a spectacular Pacific Games, nothing is impossible," Parkop said in Parliament this morning.

He thanked the government for a job well done and for hosting the recent Pacific Games.

Games police reinforcements heading home

The repatriation exercise started over the weekend and will continue until the weekend.

Police from Momase, Highlands and New Guinea Islands, comprising of 10 each, were deployed for three weeks  during the 2015 Pacific Games.

The Games ended over the weekend.

The Morobe police were warmly received by Lae police boss Chief Superintendent Iven Lakatani on Monday.

He said they had experienced a new working environment for the past 21 days and it was great to get  them back to Lae and Morobe.

Games boss: Ticket saga ‘baseless’

This response comes amid claims that almost 1000 ticket holders were sent away at the gates during Saturday’s event.

PNG Loop spoke with the committee CEO Peter Stewart who says that while they are considerate of issues highlighted by ticket holders who could not get through to the closing ceremony, many of the tickets in question would have granted its holder access to the event.

Stewart says that on the closing ceremony night, 9000 tickets were processed and says that all fake or counterfeit tickets were not entertained.

One more Gold for Apisah in Tennis

This is the fourth Gold Abigail Tere-Apisah picked up in the competition defeating New Caledonia's Yaelle Honakoko.

Tere-Apisah won in straight sets 6-1 6-2 in the women's singles against Honakoko.

Meanwhile Abigail’s niece, Violet Apisah (PNG) missed out in bronze just after 2pm going down to New Caledonia's Ana Pain.

Apisah lost 2 sets to 1 in a long drawn out match that lasted two hours.

Pain won the match 6-4 1-6 6-4.

Pain won Gold in the 2011 Pacific Games in tennis however did not make it to the Gold medal play off.

All PNG teams in Squash Gold medal play off

PNG's Madako Suari and Lynette Vai defeated New Caledonia's Laurent Guepy Kareen Hamou just before 1pm winning 2 sets to 1.

Suari and Vai won the first set in a close encounter 11-10.

New Caledonia bounced back from the loss claiming the second set 11-7 before PNG made a comeback in the third, winning 11-5.

Suari and Vai will prepare to take on Papua New Guinea's Robin Morove and Eli Webb at 3pm.

Pictured are Suari and Vai after winning their match today.

Crowd build up as games nears end

 At BSP Stadium were track and field, hockey, beach volleyball and netball are being played, a bumper crowd is expected.

As early as 8am this morning, people who have yet to purchase tickets lined up at the ticket booths to grab the remaining tickets to be part of the games.

On the draw card today, the track and field events started at 10am and end at 1:50pm with the relay of the men and women’s 4x100m relay.

In beach volleyball, PNG women will play for the bronze medal play off at 2pm and men gold medal qualifier at 1pm.

Papua New Guinea is expected to dominate the 400 hurdle finals at the BSP Stadium in Port Moresby today

Gime and Joshua Peniel will give their local hero a good challenge and the race is expected to be a one, two, three, finish for Papua New Guinea.

“I cannot underestimate my opponents but i must have a positive mind,” Gime said.

Boino in his last Pacific Games, and running on the tracks where he started his carrier will be using his experience gained over the years of dominance in the code as his weapon, and spectators are sure to be standing all the way to the finish line.

The games record is held by Boino with a time of 50.96 seconds.

Games is more than medals

 PNG womens soccer team captain  Deslyn Sinu took time out after PNG'S match with Samoa this week to present her Samoan rival and friend a gift.

A Manus basket.

Samoa captain Rosie Leota and Deslyn  have met many times on field both striving to be the best.

Samoa came to the Pacific Games with dramatic improvement to their team with the recruitment of Leota an Auckland based player.

 Unfortunately Samoa lost to Cook islands in the Bronze playoff.

Sinui on the other is an old hand at soccer having come from a family that is heavily involved in soccer.