Theresa Tona qualifies for Beijing Games

FEMALE taekwando artist Theresa Tona has become the third Papua New Guinea athlete to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in China later this year.
According to an e-mail from Matt Ramson in New Zealand, the 16-year-old Iarowari High school girl qualified as the substitute after her rival from New Zealand in Under 49kg was not included in the New Zealand team.
The other two PNG athletes who have qualified for Beijing are Ryan Pini (swimming) and Mae Koime (athletics)
New Zealand has selected three out of the four athletes that qualified at the Oceania Olympic Qualification events held last December in New Caledonia.
According to previous report, Tona won silver in her division while her New Zealand opponent won the gold medal ñ this will make her favourite to win a coloured medal in the Olympic Games in their divisions.
PNG Sports Federationg general secretary Sir John Dawanincura and PNG Taekwando Federation is expected to make a major announcement today.
Oceania Taekwando Union general secretary John Kotsifas said the following Oceania countries will contest medals in the Taekwondo event in Beijing:
Australia (two men and two women); New Zealand (two men and one woman); Marshall Islands (one man); and PNG (one woman).
He said that once a taekwondo athlete has qualified for Olympic selection, they automatically compete for medals at the Games.