Athletes ready
The National, Thursday 28th March 2013
THE first major athletics event of 2013 will be staged at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium, in Lae, on Sunday with the Milo-sponsored Momase Championships.
The event will be staged in conjunction with selection trials for the Pacific Mini Games in Wallis & Futuna later this year.
The trials will continue into Monday morning to cater for athletes taking part in two middle or long distance events.
Organisers are expecting a good turnout for the championships from a number of schools around Lae city, including Busu, Lae Secondary, Nawae, Coronation College and Wana Primary School.
Teams are expected to travel from Bulolo, Goroka and Simbu, plus a small number from Madang and Kimbe.
Two athletes will travel from Port Moresby for the trials, as will George Yamak from Daru, the surprise winner of the 1500m at the PNG Games last year.
Good competition is expected in the men’s middle distance events between Freddie Hongoworie, Veherney Babob and Yamak, while Kupsy Bisamo and Skene Kiage and Simbai Kaspar battle out the longer distances.
The women’s long distance events are expected to be very competitive with Cecilia Kuman and Gethrude Joe travelling from Kokopo to compete with Simbu-based athletes.
Panamex Pacific is supporting the event again, as they have in the past with athletics events in Lae.
Athletics PNG will be staging selection trials in Kokopo on April 6 for athletes based in the New Guinea Islands Region.
President Tony Green said that due to the large number of squad members based in East New Britain it was not feasible to bring all athletes to Lae.