Team PNG

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.”

Vice Minister for Sports, Wesley Raminai said gold medallists will receive K100, 000, silver medallists with K50 000 and bronze medal winners K25, 000.

“The O’Neill/Abel government recognizes the importance that sports plays in nation building.”

He finished by thanking corporate sponsors who despite economic times continue to support sports through their community programs.

“We really do not want to put anybody under any pressure, but we would also like to remind every member of Team PNG that our country is very passionate about sports as you all know.

The #TeamPNG2018 concept according to the PNGOC Media officer Andrew Molen is a way to get fans, athletes and team management involved to drum up support for the team ahead of the April 4^th to 15^th games.

Molen says that online users are being encouraged to use the hash-tag team PNG 2018 tag on all social media uploads they make which are related to the team before, during and prior to the games.

He says that this means all pictures, posts and stories

They have supported with sponsorship packages for Team PNG athletes attending the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, next month.

In an agreement signed today, the deal sees a sustained commitment from bmobile-vodafone to support the Team PNG athletes.

Bmobile Group chief financial officer, Ali Contractor, spoke highly of the team efforts and preparations towards the Commonwealth Games, stating bmobile-vodafone was proud of sponsoring Team PNG.

Executives of the PNG CGA released the names this week following the finalization of the sports entries and an exhaustive process of selection and justification hearings, to ensure that athletes had met the qualifying standards agreed to by their national sporting federations and the PNG CGA or were regarded as the best in Papua New Guinea, for their particular event.

The first auction held in Lae on Wednesday evening sold 17,000 bringing in a K170, 000.

A further K5, 300 was raised from the sales of a signed SP Hunters jersey for K2, 800 and a signed North Queensland Cowboys jersey which went for K2, 500.

The items were purchased by Traisa and Territory Packing.

The top five bidders in Lae:

Traisa (K24, 000), Trukai Industries Ltd (K22, 000), Papindo, (K19, 000) Raumai 18 (K15, 000), Ramu Agri Industries Ltd bought (K14, 000).

They gathered in Port Moresby last Saturday with the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee in the first Games workshop to share their plans, progress and Games targets.

President of the PNGOC, Sir John Dawanincura, said the Samoa 2019 Pacific Games presents this opportunity for Team PNG to create history on foreign soil.

He also pointed out that it was the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, who presented the team with this challenge at the end of the 2015 Pacific Games.

The squad: Sam Seghers, Ryan Maskelyne, Ashley Seeto, Leonard Kalate and Joshua Tarere.

Livingston Akai has withdrawn from the endorsed squad due to education commitments.

“The final confirmed team will be announced soon after February 2nd, 2018, “said PNG Swimming Inc.”

The 2018 Commonwealth Games will run from April 4-15.

PNG finished second at the recent Pacific Mini Games in Vanuatu winning 33 gold medals, 30 silver and 22 bronze - 85 in total.

He said other sports need to evaluate what they need to do to repeat the 2015 winning performance of the Pacific Games on home soil.

Raminai vowed he would do his utmost best within his capacity to assist these sports improve to ensure PNG dominates again in 2019.

The women's weightlifting competition gets underway this morning at Epauto, Port Vial.

Thelma Mea Toua will lift in the 48kg division while sister and PNG stalwart, Dika Toua will compete in the 53kg division.

Fiji, Nauru, Solomon Islands and Australia will be tough competitors but the Toua sisters are confident, they can bring home gold.