Pacific Games

While commending athletes, Polye says the pacific games should be about solidarity, friendship and sportsmanship.

He says the incentive is bad because to date it has done nothing to build sports interest in rural places if PNG.

They were thrashed by a highly fancied Guam side, 103-53.

Guam had height advantage, Guam showed no mercy in the first quarter 24-12.

The visitors extended their lead in the second quarter 52-24 with key shooter Jesus Cruz shooting eight 3 poiners from 10 attempts.

Papua New Guinea meanwhile were shadowed by their opponents grabbing bronze in the two events they competed in.

Alfred Mel and Vagi Henry competed in the 105kg and +120kg finishing third respectively.

Roy Detabena and Jezza Uepa representing Nauru won gold in the 93kg and +120kg respectively. 

While in the 93kg division Ofisa Ofisa of Samoa won the gold and Telupe Isefa of Tuvalu won gold in the 120kg.

In the other final session results, 93kg silver went to Raboe Roland (Nauru) and Teotahi Hinau (Tahiti) got bronze.

This is Pini’s second gold for the night and seventh overall in this Pacific Games.

Pini broke his own record of 56.54 sec in a new time of 56.0 sec.

Pini clocked in fastest with 23.21seconds breaking his previous record of 24.01 seconds in the 50m freestyle.

Samuel Seghers also clocked in fastest in heat 2 of 4 in the Men's 50m freestyle.

Seghers clocked in 23.55 seconds beating his previous time of 24 seconds.

Rew scored the first points of the game to get the crowd up on their feet roaring as he shrugged off several defenders to score.

The Solomon Islanders responded straight away via Solly Seuika to score out wide.

A successful conversion put his team in front.

Some razzle dazzle rugby saw Rew grab his second score of the match right after the half time siren sounded. With the kick in, the score was 12-7 at the break.

The second half belonged to PNG as two more tries went to Arthur Clement and Butler Morris just on full time.

The country's sports federation says its lack of representation is down to it not having had enough time to prepare for the games, and its athletes not being available.

Tokelau's national legal advisor Lise Suveinakama says the blunder will prove a valuable lesson for the nation, which has a population of about 1400.

New Caledonia are second and Samoa and Fiji equal third on the overall medal count.

Ryan Pini's third gold medal was the pick of the home performances on a day where Para athletes and a host of smaller nations had their moment in the spotlight.

Fast swimmer Lara Grangeon set another new record in the 400m freestyle of 4:20:40 sec,  taking out gold.

The previous record was 4:28:32 sec that was also set by Lara. This was the 19th record set in this Pacific Games.

Charlotte Robin got the bronze in the 400m freestyle after clocking in at 4:41:97 sec behind silver medalist Matelita Buadromo of Fiji.

Another Games record of 1:03:50 sec in the 100m backstroke was broken by Emma Terebo of New Caledonia. Emma set a new record of 1:02:60 in this event to win gold.

Savannah took out bronze in the 50m breaststroke tonight clocking in at 34.60 sec.

New Caledonia's Adeline Williams got gold clock with a  32.61 sec time  and Pilar Shimiziu of Guam got silver with a time of 33.35 sec.

Savannah also grabbed bronze in the 100m breaststroke yesterday.

She was presented with her medal by her father PNG Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko.