Samingian runs home with silver in deaf comp

By HENRY MORABANG, ISAAC LIRI and LARRY ANDREW
HAVING to compete in the PNG Games for the first time brings a lot of emotions for some athletes. For athletes living with disability, it brings a huge sense of delight.
Twenty-three-year-old Anna Samingian was one of those special athletes that participated in the PNG Game for the first time.
Samingian, who is originally from Yangoru in East Sepik but grew up in Vanimo, West Sepik, won silver in 100m (deaf women’s) while her team mates Akela Willie won bronze in the men’s 100m (deaf men’s) and Kingsley Son won bronze in the 1500m (ambulent men’s).
West Sepik team manager Ludmilla Wakolen spoke of Samingian as a para-athlete who had come a long to make her mark in the Games.
“Anna is a student whot went through our programme at Callan Services. She knows sign language and this is her first race which she went through and her first time to experience what the PNG Games is all about,” Wakolen said.
“We identified her when she was a little girl. She attended a disability centre run by the Catholic Church and then she became part of our programme with Callan Services, and after she finished her schooling she joined us as a volunteer.
“Seeing her win silver in para sports brings happiness to every one of us and we hope she gets selected through other programmes because she is a very special person,” Wakolen added.
The seven events that para sport athletics completed and finalised medal presentation in include 1500m (ambulant men’s) where Peter Noel (WNB) won gold, Tobina Herman (ENB) won silver and Kingsley Son (West Sepik) won bronze.
In the 100m (deaf men’s), Hasu John (NCD) won gold, Hole Michael (WNB) won silver and Akela Willie from West Sepik won bronze.
In the 100m (deaf women’s) Shareena Yawasing (Morobe) won gold, Anna Samingian (West Sepik) won silver, Florence Jimson (WNB) won bronze.
In the 100m (ambulant men’s), Elias Larry NCD won gold, Allan Steven Central won silver, and Pitau Simon from Manus won bronze.
In the 100m (ambulant women’s) Josephine Pia (Manus) won gold, Antonia Bonnie (ENB) won silver and Belinda Moses from (Morobe) won bronze.
In the men’s shot put Paul Mokrui (Madang) won gold, Leka Kange (Morobe) won silver and Erick Julai (Morobe) won bronze.