Pacific Games 2015

Fiji leads Hockey pool standing

Hockey will resume today at 1pm after a day of rest yesterday.

In the men’s division, Fiji is leading the pool with four straight wins on 16 points, Vanuatu second with two wins and one loss.

PNG is sitting third with 5 points having played three games, losing two and winning one match.

Solomon Islands is on fourth place with 4 points having won two out of their three matches.

Tonga remains at the bottom of the pool and yet to register a win.

Today the Fijian men are on bye, Vanuatu will play Solomons at 1pm while PNG take on Tonga at 4pm.

Beach volleyball in medal contention

They must defeat the Tahiti beach volleyball duo of Terau Ena and Terii Steven Tauraa to qualify for the semi-finals in the Pacific Games beach volleyball competition.

The match will be played at 4pm at the BSP Stadium outer arena today.

Tahitians will give the home team a run for their money, and will be out to fight to the last serve to defend their gold medal won in the mini Pacific Games in 2013.

PNG women netballers finish unbeaten

With three consecutive wins against Samoa and a drubbing of Solomon Islands and Tonga, they have put themselves in medal contention.

PNG will be playing the second placed team in Pool –A.

The official quarter finals draws are yet to be released by the games organizers but Loop PNG understands that PNG will play Cook Islands and Fiji will meet Samoa on Friday.

The winners of both matches will meet in the gold and silver play offs and the losers get a chance in the bronze medal challenge.

The Pacific Games medal play off will be played on Saturday.

Vanuatu favourites after exciting win over PNG

They made it 4 wins from 4 games as they overcame a rejuvenated PNG side by just 7 runs.

PNG’s bowlers turned up after a below par performance on Tuesday to restrict Vanuatu to just 115 off their 20 overs after Vanuatu won the toss and elected to bat. Kabua Vagi Morea was tight with the ball taking 2/18 from his 4 overs and PNG were back to their best in the field with 2 run outs and some excellent catches.

PNG leading women’s heptathlon after 4 events

Monagi took over from New Caledonia’s Lucie Turpin.

Monagi now leads with 3039 points.

In second place is Turpin on 2935 points.

Another New Caledonian, Manuella Gavin, is in third place on 2742 points.

Tahiti unbeaten in men’s volleyball

The 2011 silver medallist defeated Guam 3-0 today in the final day of pool matches at BSP Arena.

Tahiti was too strong for Guam, leading in the first and second set.

Guam bounced back early in the third set to take the lead 8-7 but Tahiti maintained their pace to get back into the lead to win the set.

Tahiti is leading the competition after winning all its four pool matches.

 The playoffs for the top six will get underway on Thursday with the semi-finals on Friday and finals on Saturday. 

PNG and Kiribati challenge in men’s volleyball

PNG is hoping to win this match to stay in the top four after losing one of three pool matches to competition leaders Tahiti.

Kiribati however is yet to win a match in this Pacific Games tournament and is hoping to give a big challenge to PNG in this match.

In other matches today, Tahiti defeated Guam 3-0 and Wallis & Futuna beat Nauru 3-0. The home side is aiming for gold after taking out bronze in the 2011 Games behind gold medal holders Wallis & Futuna and silver medal holders Tahiti. 

Call made to pay Games volunteers

Spokesperson for hundreds of volunteers who are being deployed at the BSP Stadium in Port Moresby John Bata said they were happy to be part of the historic event as the memories of the games would go a long way in their lives.

Bata said he was particularly happy with the Government for delivering  a high standard of games with internationally accredited facilities against all odds.

PNG to play for bronze in men's soccer

The match was locked at nil-all at half time in a tight half of play.

But mistakes in the second half cost the game for PNG as Tahiti scored twice through striker Fred Tisot  and later Tayatayu Lucas.

PNG'S Tommy Semmy provided some hope, scoring late in the game from a penalty but it wasn't meant to be as Tahiti defended their lead to the end.

PNG'S coach Ricki Herbert said it was a disappointing loss and that silly mistakes had cost PNG the game.

Visitors admire PNG success and culture

Alex Resture, Seluka Resture  and Isopo Sokomani said they chose  to buy a Highlands string bag known as a bilum in Papua New Guinea pidgin among others to take home to show to their relatives.

Resture said the string bag cost them K80 to buy from a crafts trader from Enga.

The three athletes who are members of their country's tennis ball team in the  SP Games also described Port Moresby as "a giant city in the Pacific" besides Australia and New Zealand with world standard sports facilities that are capable of hosting the Commonwealth Games.