Team PNG

Whilst the Cloud County based athletes in Kansas had a relatively quiet weekend ahead of their regional championships this coming weekend, jumpers Roland Hure and Annie Topal both posted excellent performances.

Competing at an Open Meet in Indianola, Iowa, Hure jumped a personal best of 7.25m in the long jump; which is just one centimetre outside the national record set by Peniel Richard last year.

He also ran an impressive 10.77secs in the 100m, signaling to the PNG team coaches that he wants to be considered for the 4*100m relay at the Games.

Competing on their home track in the city of Concordia the athletes continued their excellent recent form with Leroy Kamau again leading the way and with Isila Apkup and Shadrick Tansi also posting great performances.

Kamau followed up a wind assisted 10.36 sec clocking in the 100m (+4.7) with a sensational 20.85seconds in the 200m. The following wind (measured at 3.3metres per second) meant that this cannot be recognised as a national record but it is once again as sign that Kamau is heading for something special in the near future.

The K150,000 is an annual commitment by SP Brewery, as part of the brewery’s three-year sponsorship to the PNGOC.

SP Brewery Managing Director, Ed Weggemans said: “Even though we are dealing with trade restrictions and loss of business, SPB is proud to continue our support to Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee for another year.”

This support go towards helping Team PNG participate in the Northern Marianas Mini Pacific Games in Saipan from June 17the - 25^th, and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games from the 28th of July to the 8th of August 2022.

Two managers and six coaches will also accompany the team to Saipan.

The team includes Pacific sprint queen Toea Wisil and Tokyo Olympian, Rellie Kaputin, with sprinters Leroy Kamau and Daniel Baul expected to lead the men’s team.

President Tony Green said the team will be looking for a strong showing at the Games as a result of the programmes that have been in place through the last two years.

The two notable games slated to be held in 2022 is the one-year delayed (from 2021) Pacific Mini Games in Saipan, Northern Marianas scheduled from June 17th – 25, while the iconic celebration of sport to embrace the Commonwealth values of humanity, equality and destiny is scheduled from July 28 to August 8th. 

One of the major fundraising events organized by PNGOC is the annual Prime Ministers Corporate Golf Challenge. The first event will be held in Lae on Friday 08th April at the Lae Golf Club and in Port Moresby on April 22 Port Moresby Golf Club.

The four athletes include current Commonwealth Games silver medalists, Dika Toua and Morea Baru from Weightlifting and Geoffrey Loi and Tammy Agari from Table Tennis.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) confirmed that the four athletes had qualified through the regional qualification process. 

The PNG Olympic Committee (PNGOC) is extremely grateful to its corporate partner for over 20 years, Theodist Ltd who came good yesterday, dishing out a K50,000 worth of support to the Olympic Committee as they prepare to send Team PNG for the Mini-Pacific Games in Northern Marianas and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, mid this year.

National Sports Federations have been advised to provide all requirements for the Commonwealth Games preparations and for accreditation purposes whilst the justification Committee is in deliberation. 

Targeted sports include Athletics, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Rugby Sevens, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Weightlifting and Para Sports Athletics and Table Tennis. 

While the endorsement of the final team is pending, the top management for Team PNG has been appointed. The JC is the committee under the PNG Olympic Committee (PNGOC) that deliberates and endorses sports and their top athletes to take part as Team PNG in the Olympics, Commonwealth and Pacific Games.

Targeted sports that will represent Papua New Guinea at the 2022 Pacific Mini Games in Saipan, Northern Mariana Island, scheduled for June 17^th to 25^th 2022 are Athletics, Beach Volleyball, Golf, Tennis, Va’a and weightlifting.

The pair competed on separate dates. Mararos competed first in the men’s division on the 1^st of September. He made a new personal best of 21.11 meters, a new record in the region.

On the 3^rd of September, Leva competed in the women’s F46 Javelin. She also achieved a personal best. She went from the 18m record she recorded in the Queensland State Championships, to 23.30m at the Paralympic Games.

Coach Jackie Travetz was proud their performance. She said it is great knowing the two athletes are walking away with new ‘personal best’ records.