Flag-raising for athletes

 TEAM PNG had its flag raising ceremony on Sunday in the International Zone of the Glasgow Games Village, Scotland.

The formal welcome ceremony was staged for Team PNG, as well as for the contingents from Falkland Islands and Fiji.

PNG athletes and officials were in their red track suits and walked the 1km road from their residential area to the ceremony venue.

Before master of ceremony and the first Scottish gold medallist in gymnastics Steve Frew took the podium, the teams were welcomed by the National Youth Theatre troupe with dances and songs.

The councillor resprenting Renfrewshire, a district in Glasgow, Jim Hart presented a gift to Team PNG chef de mission Emma Waiwai in welcoming PNG athletes and officials.

Waiwai thanked Hart on behalf of Glasgow and Refrewshire.

She also handed over a gift from Team PNG to Hart.

After the flag-raising ceremony, the management team had a meeting with all the athletes and officials where Waiwai, swimming champion Ryan Pini, high performance manager Aaron Alsop and others motivated the Team to give its best when competition starts this week.

The 2014 Glasgow Games opening ceremony will be held on Wednesday (Thursday morning, PNG time).