Trukai Industries

Speaking this morning to the students of Badihagwa Secondary and Hagara Primary in Port Moresby, Tate explained to the students that education and sports go hand in hand.

"My coach Wayne Bennett was always big on education and told us we had to finish school first before we could play for the Broncos.

"That is why it is important to go to school and learn to read and write. So you can read and understand the game plan before a sports game,’’ said Tate.

Tate then carried the NRL premiership trophy around to the excited students for them to see and touch it.

In store for PNG’s weightlifters are the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Weightlifting Championships next month in Houston, USA, the 2016 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships and the 2016 Oceania Weightlifting Championships in Fiji.

PNG Weightlifting Federation president Sir John Dawanincura thanked Trukai, saying the future of the sport looked good.

 “We are ever grateful to Trukai for their ongoing sponsorship to weightlifting since 1995 and we look forward to continuing this relationship into the future.

Trukai announced on the eve of the Games as an incentive that 5000 kina would be given to every PNG weightlifter that won gold. 

13 gold medals were won in weightlifting. 15 000 of the 65 000 kina went to Thelma Mea Toua who snared three gold medals.

Trukai general manager of sales and marketing Andrew Daubney said Trukai had no doubt in PNG’s weightlifters during the Games and would continue this support into the future.

“13 gold medals is outstanding. Providing incentives for athletes pushes them to train harder and come out triumphant,” said Daubney.

The new Ford Ranger will assist weightlifters and officials move to and from training.

The vehicle will also assist the federation carry out development programs in schools and communities.

Federation President Sir John Dawanincura was thankful for the sponsorship and said it will assist Commonwealth gold medalist Dika Toua conduct school clinics as part of a talent identification program.

“It’s been a challenge to transport training weights to schools so this vehicle will assist Dika as well,” he said.