Pacific Games 2015

The powerhouse Hanuabadan will be aiming to add to her tally in the clean and jerk and overall total.

Mea is the favourite for a clean sweep in the 69kg division. With the heaviest weight on the bar in the division she had only herself to beat.

She failed her first lift of 83kg, but easily lifted the bar in her second attempt to win gold. The silver medal went to Vanessa Lui (Samoa) with a lift of 82kg, and New Zealand got bronze, lifting 76kg.

The Clean and Jerk challenge for the 69kg is taking place.

They beat Guam last night by nine points at the BSP Arena.

Five minutes extra time was applied after both teams finished 72-all at full time.

Another five minutes extra time was given after the score was levelled again 81-81 after the siren went off.

Key players Betty Angula, Marca Muri and Nesta Sape helped PNG take the score up to 89-98 at the end of the second extra time.

To summarise the match,  Guam was leading in the first quarter 21-17 and the second quarter 40-29 but PNG bounced back in the third quarter, 56-48.

PNG plays Nauru today, at 5pm.

The weightlifting competition venue for the XV Pacific Games is the PNG Power Dome (Sir John Guise Stadium indoor complex).

PNG women competing in the 69kg division are Geua Melissa Oru and Noi Bernadette Igo. Other events scheduled to take place are 85kg (men) and 75kg (women.)

Guba Mea Hale will also take part in the 69kg women's division.

This came after handing out a 17-2 thrashing to the Solomon Islands this morning.

PNG will play Samoa this afternoon for gold. Samoa defeated Cook Islands in the other semi final 9-3.

The bronze medal play off will be between Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands.

The PNG women's touch team will also play for gold today against Samoa. The bronze medal play off will see Kiribati play the Cook Islands.

It has been a one sided contest so far as PNG runs in easy points.

Doubles have gone to PNG's William Ken and Bobby Vavona.

The Solomon Islanders were disallowed a touch down which has been their only big moment.

Pini swam a time of 54:21 sec and finished first in his heat.

Despite not meeting his personal best of 52.95 sec, Pini told PNG loop that he was happy with his time.

"It was a comfortable race and the crowd out supporting is fantastic.

"I'm looking forward to this evening's final and thank everyone for the support," Pini said.

Seghers clocked in at 1:54:09 sec behind New Caledonia’s Jeremy Dufourmantelle who finished third in 1:54:096 sec.

Gold went to Rahiti De Vos who hit the wall at 1:51:87 sec and silver was taken by Hugo Lambert in 1:52:93 sec. Both swimmers are from Tahiti.

In other results, in the women 100m freestyle, Anna-Liza Mopio-Jane finished fourth behind the Fiji duo who took out bronze and silver while New Caledonia won gold. 

The men team was led by 50m backstroke gold medalist Ryan Pini clocking a finish time of 3:28:02 sec. Tahiti won gold after clocking in at 3:25:02 sec and silver went to New Caledonia clocking in at 3:27:66 sec.

The PNG women team was led by Savannah Tkatchenko clocking in at 4:11:52 sec. New Caledonia took out gold with a time of 3:57:23 sec and Fiji won silver clocking in at 3:57:92 sec. 

Pini will be competing in the 100m butterfly on day 2 this morning at the BSP Arena.

There are three heats in this event. Pini will race in heat three lane four.

The top eight in the three heats will qualify for the finals this evening.

Swimmers have just completed their warm ups as the crowd starts to build up.

Other events today are the women 50m backstroke and 200m freestyle, men 400m medley and women 200m breaststroke.

People came from overseas and provinces outside the NCD to watch the show.

Cyrilla Bennett from Solomon Islands has three sons in the national rugby sevens team and is here to watch them play.

Bennett said the ceremony was beautiful, unique and colourful and the PNG people should be proud of themselves.

“I liked the chanting and dancing as it spoke best of their culture,” the Solomon Islander said.

22 provincial groups participated in the ceremony.

Kaivila Omai travelled in from the Western Province to watch the ceremony and said it was worth it.