CPL helps athletes with K30,000

By PATRICIA KEAMO
THE Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) received a sponsorship worth K30,000 from City Pharmacy Ltd (CPL) Group to support national athletes in their bid to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in July.
The sponsorship will see 29 athletes receive gift cards to buy food and toiletries.
PNGOC secretary-general Auvita Rapilla said the support came at a critical time in the remaining months of preparations for the athletes.
“This sponsorship will greatly assist the athletes in the purchase of food in ensuring that they have a balanced nutritional diet and essentials that they need for their personal hygiene,” she said.
“Most of our athletes have put their careers on hold, they are either unemployed or low-income earners, so this will go a long way in assisting them in their journey towards excelling and achieving their Olympic dreams.”
Announcing the sponsorship yesterday, CPL strategic marketing general manager Kevin Alo said the group had been supporting sports over the years.
“CPL is thrilled to support our talented and hardworking Papua New Guinean athletes for the Tokyo Olympic Games,” he said.
“We are aware of the challenges that have been faced by our aspiring and upcoming athletes.” With about five months before the Olympics, the athletes have been committed to their preparations.
“For athletes, nutrition plays a big role in our preparations during training and competition,” Tokyo-bound Rose-Lee Numa said.
“For both of us (brother Teariki) in sailing, after we qualified for the Games, we put our careers on hold, I was in my final year at Pacific Adventist University and Teariki had a full-time job.
“At the moment, we are full-time athletes, so finding that avenue to support ourselves financially has been one of the biggest challenges.”
Numa thanked CPL on behalf of the athletes.