Kimbe on track

Sports

THE new all-weather athletics track in Kimbe, West New Britain, which will be the main venue for the PNG Games in March, is nearing completion with just the finishing touches to add.
The synthetic running surface was laid this week and now just needs the finishing coat and line markings.
Athletics PNG president Tony Green, who visited the site during the week, said the contractors had done a great job and the track would be the pride of the province.
“It’s a great venue and the work is of a very high standard, similar to the track laid in Port Moresby for the Pacific Games last year,” Green said.
Green was in Kimbe to meet with provincial administrator Williamson Hosea, the Games host organising committee and Team West New Britain representatives to discuss staging an invitational meet in December to inaugurate the new facility.
He said the meet would be named after the site and would be known as the San Remo Invitational.
“This is a great opportunity to kick start athletics in the province and will be a big boost to Team WNB preparations for the PNG Games,” Green said.
According to the long time athletics administartor, the deferral of the Games had resulted in a loss of momentum in preparations but he was sure the meet had the potential to reverse that, at least for the sport of athletics.
It is hoped that other teams from the New Guinea Isands region would see this meet as a good opportunity for them as well.
The meet would be open to anyone, but visitors would have to meet their own costs including travel.
Construction work on the grandstand is continuing and the proposal to stage this meet was subject to the necessary approvals being given to use the track and field.
The competition would be staged over three full days Dec 16-18 and would include all events except the steeplechase, multi-events and the sprint hurdles.
The format would be similar to the regional championship programme which APNG runs with a full range of events for the open and Under-18 divisions and a limited number of events for the U16 and U14 divisions.
Further details including the timetable of events and how to enter would be available next week from the Athletics PNG office via email [email protected].
Athletics PNG are also in consultation with the PNG Sports Foundation to conduct training for technical officials, with an officiating course planned for Dec 13-15.
Sportsmasters, former athletes and other interested persons should contact PNG Games competition manager  Philip Lavatu through the PNGSF office in Kimbe or on phone 71393079.