14-year-olds win for Chimbu

FOURTEEN-year-old cousins Gethru and Jossy Komba made their mark on the San Remo Stadium track in the women’s 5000m, making Chimbu proud.
Gethru became the golden girl for Chimbu clocking 19.44.09 to win gold medal. East New Britain’s Monica Kalua clocked 20.08.09 to claim the silver medal and Jossy claimed bronze in 20.19.00 while
The Chimbu duo’s coach who is also their uncle, Paul Komba, said the girls were new to the PNG Games and the results they gained made everyone one proud.
“I travelled around with other athletes and take athletics pictures and show them when I return home to Chimbu. When both girls were about 12 years old and showed interest in athletics and told me ‘once we grow up, you must train us’,” coach Paul Komba said.
“I’m proud of both girls. Gethru has won gold in both 10,000m and 5000m and Jossy Komba won bronze medal in 5000m.
“Both girls are cousins, but I looked after them as their guardian and I am very happy with them.
“Both of them are currently in grade six.
“In Chimbu we don’t have tracks such as here in Kimbe and other places like Port Moresby and Lae. We trained by running up into the mountains and along the roads and we run long distances for hours. We did specific running and workouts and I saw these two girls as physically fit so I brought them with the team.
Gethru and Jossy Komba told The National that they were humbled and happy to win gold for Chimbu.
“I’m happy because I made my coach proud and we made our province Chimbu happy. I hear stories of people like Toea Wisil and I dream that one day I can become a runner like her and now I won gold I am happy,” Gethru Komba said.
Results: Women’s 5000m: Jossy Komba, Chimbu, bronze, (20.19.00), Monica Kalua, East New Britain, silver, (20.08.09), Gethru Komba, Chimbu, gold, (19.55.09).
Women’s 100m hurdles: Noahleen Shaun,West New Britain, bronze, (19.63), Phillie July, East New Britain, silver, (17.82), Helen Philemon, Morobe, gold, (17.21).
Men’s 1500 men’s: Andipas Gerosi, WNB, bronze, (4.16.79), Martin Orovo, Northern, silver, (14.12.31), Simbai Kasper, Chimbu, gold, (4.09.90).
Women’s discus: Dancy Buka, WNB, bronze, (threw 22.08m), Grace Pailal, West Sepik, silver, (24.01m), Norma Aloitch, West Sepik, gold, (24.60m).
Women’s shot put: Dancy Buka, WNB, bronze, (9.23m), Bonnie Muya, NCD, silver (9.50m), Barbara Nicolas, Chimbu, gold, (9.23m).
Men’s javelin: Francis Mondo, WNB, bronze, threw (53.62m), Lakona Gerega, Central, silver, (55.94m), Simon Benari, West Sepik, gold, (56.48m).
Women’s triple jump: Talitha Jinkia, Morobe, bronze,(jumped 9.7m), Delma Sommers, Morobe, silver, (9.77m), Maryanne Tutuai, ENB, gold, (10.23m).