Awards to get new category

The National Sports

By JACK AMI
THE Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) will introduce a new category for the SP Sports Awards for 2020.
This will be announced during the awards night at the Crown Hotel on Saturday.
This will add up make 13 categories next year.
PNGOC public relation officer Andrew Molen said guest speaker and Australian Olympic gold medalist Kerrie Pottharst, pictured, would arrive tomorrow.
Molen said she would meet with the finalists at the hotel at 8 30am on Saturday.
At 11am, Pottharst will meet with the national beach volleyball team at the Sir John Guise Stadium.
At 3pm, she will visit the PNG Hunters at the National Football Stadium.
Pottharst will watch the Hunters’ clash with South Logan Magpies at the NFS on Sunday.
Finalists: Male Athlete of the Year – Lee Henry Garap (Muay Thai), Steven Kari (weightlifting), Tony Ura (cricket); Female Athlete of the Year – Brenda Tau (cricket), Abigail Tere-Apisah (tennis), Dika Toua (weightlifting); Team of the Year – Barramundis (men’s national cricket team), Lewas (women’s national cricket team), Maleos (national netball mixed team); National Performance of the Year – Alotau U15 Basketball Team, Enga Mioks (rugby league), Lois Garena (volleyball, softball and netball); Community Sports Initiative Award – Backyard Sports (multi-sport), Mum’s A Hero (basketball), Nelson Stone (multi-sport); Junior Male Athlete of the Year – Simon Atai (cricket), Leonard Kalate (swimming), Geoffrey Loi (table tennis); Junior Female Athlete of the Year – Violet Apisah (tennis), Rehema Kalate (swimming), Alice Kwaia (basketball); Best Sports Person with a Disability – Steven Abraham (para-athletics), Elias Larry (para-athletics), Vero Nime (para-table tennis); Sports Official of the Year – Rarua Dikana (cricket), Douglas Guise (rugby sevens), Adam Parker (mixed and men’s netball); Sports Media of the Year – Jack Ami (The National), Dinnierose Raiko (EMTV), Marie Sakumai (TV WAN); Sports Photo of the Year – Airborne (Simon Keslep), Bird’s Eye View (Fidelis Sukina), Try On Debut (Larry Andrew).