Federation to host 16th kickboxing championships

Sports

By MELTON PAIS
PAPUA New Guinea Kickboxing Federation will host its 16th national kickboxing championships at the National Sports Institute in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, this weekend.
Federation president Stanley Nandex confirmed the date, saying the event would start tomorrow and finish on Sunday.
Nandex has sent out invitations to Vice-Sports Minister and Kagua-Erave MP Wesley Raminai to be the guest of honour and officially open the tournament.
Nandex said he was expecting kickboxing associations from all six Highlands provinces, Madang, Morobe, the National Capital District, Central, Milne Bay, West and East New Britains, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Manus, New Ireland and East Sepik to participate in the three-day tournament.
“This tournament will also be the lead-up event for the seventh PNG Game in Kimbe next month,” Nandex said.
“The selectors will be available during the tournament to select fighters to represent provinces in kickboxing during the PNG Games.”
Nandex said apart from those who would be attending the tournament, no other province would bring kickboxing teams to Kimbe unless he had confirmed the provinces and approved the team lists.
Nandex said all different styles and disciplines were invited to compete under their respective rules of completions such as WFT, Muay Thai, full contact and K-1 kickboxing.
He said the tournament was also in preparation for the 2018 World Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from Nov 5-10.
Meanwhile, Nandex said he was pleased to announce the return of former boxing champion and kick boxer Rickson Yamo to the federation.
He called on other kickboxing associations in the country to join forces with him to make kickboxing what it used to be a few years ago.
For further information regarding the tournament Kaupa Omena can be contacted on 712256771 or email: [email protected].