Commonwealth boost

THE South Pacific Brewery presented a sponsorship of K100,000 to the PNG Sports Federation and Olympic Committee to assist Team PNG get to this year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
President of the PNGSFOC Sir Henry ToRobert said: “The support for Team PNG to the 19th Commonwealth Games is a testament to the ongoing backing of sport in PNG by SP Brewery, following on from last week’s support to rugby sevens.”
The team comprises 90 athletes and 30 officials, a total of 120 traveling to New Delhi, India, for the Games which will run from Oct 3-14.
PNG will be represented by eight sports, including for the first time netball, with rugby union having participated in the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games in Malaysia.
The other other sports are athletics, swimming, boxing, lawn bowls, squash and weightlifting and athletes with disability in athletics and powerlifting.
“The Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006 was a turning point for PNG sport with Ryan Pini winning gold and Dika Toua silver.
“Our athletes will do their best in Delhi.
“We thank SP for helping them to participate and gain that experience in their sporting career,”  he said
SP Brewery human resources manager Jerry Atahu said the company’s commitment to sport had been long standing and through the PNG Sports Federation were honoured to send off PNG’s best athletes to the Commonwealth Games.
“All of us here, who witnessed the gold medal performance of Ryan Pini  four years ago will agree that our athletes cannot compete in such events without the financial support from all stakeholders,” Atahu said.
He commended PNGSFOC for ensuring that “PNG’s best” were supported well in their endeavour to win medals.
“Year in year out, the federation’s role in ensuring that all our athletes’ expenses are catered for by approaching sponsors is not an easy task.
“SP Brewery would like to ensure the federation that you will continue to have our support.”