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Hungry for gold
TWELVE-year-old primary school student Hitolo Kevau impressed a large crowd
yesterday during the power-lifting challenge at the third PNG Games at Sir
Ignatius Kilage stadium indoor complex. Kevau, of Team NCD powerlifting
squad, lifted a total weight of 170kg in the junior division to win gold
ahead of her two older competitors. The Grade Three student with a body
weight of 40kg competed in the 56kg division.
“I had trained hard and was confident of winning,” she said. Hitolo says she
was inspired by fellow Hanuabada champions Dika Toua and Rita Kari. The two
are weightlifters so she decided to venture into power-lifting and is
setting the benchmark.
“I challenge my peers to be committed to their sport and do away with drugs
and peer pressure,” Kevau said.
Booklands back golf
GOLF has been given a K10,000 boost courtesy of Lae-based office equipment
and stationery supplier Bookland PNG Limited. Bookland manager Paul Palme in
making the presentation to the PNG Games host organising committee chairman
Joe Maras said: “We want to take total charge and put Bookland’s name
against golf to help develop the code in PNG.”
The sponsorship covers prizes in the individual and team events including
best junior male and female for a total of K4,100. Other prizes include
T-shirts and caps valued at K3,500 with the remaining in kind and K2,400 in
cash give-away.
Engans try out netball
THE Enga netball team took only five weeks to learn, train and familiarise
themselves with the game before coming to Lae. The team made up of 16
students from the Wapenamanda International Christian School and Wapenamanda
Four Square High School, was coached by Australian Rosalie Bell and
assistant coach John Karapen.
Coach Bell said that a few months ago they had the provincial athletics
games and saw a need for a netball team. The team travelled with its own
medical officer American Liz Neuf, the principal Kevin Bell and Team Enga
athletics coach 18-year-old Callum Campbell, who travelled up from Sydney
six weeks ago.
Despite a 33-4 upset by Team Manus coach Bell praised the team for their
efforts in completing their first game. “The girls did very well even though
they had never competed in Games as big as this,” she said.
Looking to basketballer
TEAM Bougainville netball squad appointed Michael Dau, a basketball player
and coach, as its coach to put together a team in six weeks to come to Lae.
It was easy to see why the women didn’t do well against Team Western at the
weekend.
Their passing skills were sharp low-level waist busters. Not the high
volleys common in netball. Seeing their enthusiasm, experienced netballers
from Team Central offered valuable tips during their early morning workouts
at the their Games village at Lae Tech to add onto Dau’s adaptation of
basketball playing skills of 21 years and coaching of 12 years.
“I realised that netball was an ideal sport for mothers, especially those
who have three to six children as it does not require them to run a lot and
jump like basketball so I decided to promote it. We are here to gain
experience and next time we will come to win,” Dau said.
Only three in softball
ONLY three centres are taking part in the softball competition at the Games
with Team East New Britain leading in both the men and women’s pools after
day one of competition at the Eriku softball diamonds yesterday. Technical
official and chief scorer Penni Tonga said Team Morobe and Team Eastern
Highlands are the other two competitiors.
Team East New Britain is leading the competition ladder after beating Team
Eastern Highlands 4-3 and Team Morobe 10-0 while Team Morobe took out its
frustrations on Team Eastern Highlands 9-0.
In the women’s pool, Team East New Britain flogged Team Eastern Highlands
15-1 and Team Morobe 4-1 and Team Morobe beat Team Eastern Highlands 22-2 in
a one-sided affair.
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