Coach Keto calls for businesses to support Ume’s Olympic bid

NATIONAL boxing coach Mark Keto is calling on business houses to support boxer John Ume in his bid to qualify for this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
He has been preparing Ume at the High Performance Centre prior to the venue’s closure due to Covid-19 restrictions by the Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation (PNGSF) as per orders from the national pandemic response controller.
Keto told The National on Wednesday that Covid-19 had affected Ume’s preparations in terms of accessibility and funding.
“We have some young boxers who are helping him train to maintain his fitness, but we just need some business houses to support our boxer to help him in his preparations,” he said.
“The young boxers here are also happy to be training because they are learning new things through him (Ume) and they are catching on fast.
“With the impact of Covid-19, it has been a bit of a struggle for us especially with funding, so any support from individuals, the Government or business houses will be helpful.”
Keto said with the closure of the High Performance Centre, the PNG Olympic Committee has paid the Southside Fitness Centre for Ume to train while waiting for the venue to re-open.