Country needs more good athletes

The National Letters

I WANT to correct a couple of errors on the article ‘Former sprint champ in command at Biala’ in Friday’s edition.
This was an article on Biala police station commander Emmanuel Mack, who was a sprint champion in his young days in the 1980s.
The dates do not add up.
Emmanuel impressed in his athletics career while attending Bugandi High School in Lae, which was at that time an all-boys school, from 1983 to 1986.
Those of us who knew him were always following his races wherever he went both locally and internationally.
The national team to the Tonga mini South Pacific (SP) Games of 1989 mentioned in the article, I believe, also included one Dalos Umul, also a school mate of mine from Aiyura National High School at the time.
As a former school mate of Emmanuel, I can clearly recall our excitement every time Morobe provincial inter-high schools’ athletics carnival came around every year.
When it came to track events, the boys knew our school would win as we had ‘Emmax’ with other very good sprinters such as Upa Bezari, the late Gwalambo Alung, and others together with long distance runners such as Wellington Ero on our school’s team.
There was also a very good high jumper in a tall Markham man, Kevin Rifi, representing our school at the time.
Bugandi also produced another national rep who was a high jumper, Maino Maino, who I believe, is also serving in the police force.
The athletics programmes in the 1980s were very good.
These included Nadzab to Lae relay races which allowed teams from schools in Lae and other provinces to compete.
Together with Emanuel, we cannot forget the boys from Watut and Garaina excelling in the long distance events.
Emmanuel was truly a champion sprinter at his peak.
If it wasn’t for a recurring injury that he sustained, he surely would have made it into the champion team of sprinters for the highly successful 1991 Pacific Games that PNG hosted.
We used to go to Unitech oval to see national reps such as the great Takale Tuna and Mary Kapalu of Vanuatu who were both attending GTC (now UOG) at the time during national athletics events that were held in Lae.
It is good to hear that the champ has progressed in his professional career and is now the police station commander at Biala.
Thank you The National for bringing his story for the readers.
There are so many forgotten champions out there living their own lives.
It’s always interesting and educational for the younger generation to know our former champions.
I am not sure if anyone from our former school has made it to represent the country again after Emmanuel.
Maybe it would be great if your paper with the help of Athletics PNG continue to publish stories of past national champions for our new generation to learn about.
It brings back great memories for those who were there during those years.

PN Zuks
BCB class of ‘88
Waigani, NCD

2 comments

  • Before independence back in ESP we had inter school carnivals towards the end of the year every year, I was attending Bainyk Primary ‘T’ school near Maprik and participated in almost all the games sanctioned then, notably the 100M track, off course bare footed, results were abundant. All schools government or mission took part and transport provided by the government, the heydays of Australian and British Administration.
    I also recall our last British Head Teacher, a tall commanding British woman of Scottish accent who did not accept failures. We raised the Union Jack and sang God Save the Queen at each morning parade.
    They don’t do it anymore…sad but its real…

  • Before independence colonial school administrators planned and held inter school carnivals towards the end of the year every year at Maprik town, then the district head quarters. I was attending Bainyk Primary ‘T’ School outside Maprik town and participated in almost all field and track events sanctioned by the sports administration notably the 100M barefooted off course and results were convincing and converted into prizes and tropies.
    All schools government or church run took part, transport was provided by the government, the heydays of British and Australian Administration. The PNG Games, Pacific Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games were distant ideas.
    Sports Administrators made sure no schools were left out, each went home determined to do better next year.
    Some schools raised the Australian flag and sang the Australian Fair, while others raised the Union Jack and sang God Save the Queen.
    Australian Dollars, British Pounds, German Marks and Dutch Guilders traded in tandem,

    PN Zuks, salute you for digging into the past, the pre-independence past is saturated with unique memories.

    Those were days gone by, they don’t do it any more…sad but real…

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