Commonwealth Games hopefuls step up training

ENDORSED athletes for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Leonard Kalate and Josh Tarere, completed a week of intense training at the Taurama Aquatic and Indoor Centre in Port Moresby.
With the support of the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC), PNG Swimming Inc (PNGSI) organised for the two swimmers, both aged 17, to train in Port Moresby for the week leading up to a competition in Australia as pool closures in their home town, Lae, left the swimmers without a training venue.
The two swimmers departed for Brisbane on Wednesday and flew to Melbourne yesterday and will be joined by experienced Papua New Guinea swimmer Ashley Seeto.
Together they will compete at the 2018 Victorian Open Championships at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) starting today and ending on Sunday.
Seeto and Kalate recently competed at two FINA World Championships and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
This will be Tarere’s first international competition and will see him gain valuable racing experience.
While in Melbourne, the trio will be under the guidance of coach Rob van der Zant, who has been selected as the Papua New Guinea swim team coach for the Commonwealth Games.
The swimmers will be aiming to improve on time and cement their position on Team PNG for the Commonwealth Games.