Champ back in squad

 By HENRY MORABANG

COMMONWEALTH Games gold medallist Steven Kari is happy at being named in the 19-man weightlifting squad for the upcoming 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby.

Coach Douglas Mea told The National yesterday from his Hanuabada home that it was good he was back in the team after being on the outside since returning from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games last July.

Mea said despite the differences between Kari and the Papua New Guinea Weightlifting Federation and the Oceania Weightlifting Institute director Paul Coffa, who the 21-year-old had trained under since he was 16, the “misunderstanding” had been addressed and his nephew was ready to move on. 

“We’ve always thought that Steven is still part of the national team despite all the recent publicity,” Mea said.

“If Steven was suspended or dropped from the squad, we (Hanubada Club) never got any notifcation from PNG Weightlifting of it. 

“But I’m glad everything has been resolved and we are looking forward to join the team,” he said. Mea said Kari would use the National High Performance Training Centre once a week with other senior lifters in preparation for the Games.

Weightlifting president Sir John Dawanincura said leading coaches Frank Robby, Jeffrey Robby and Dika Toua, who form the core of selection committee, would finalise the team of seven women, eight men and four reserves