Fundraising crucial

FUNDRAISING events such as the Prime Minister’s Corporate Golf Challenge will be crucial for Team PNG’s participation at next year’s Olympic Games, an official says.
PNG Olympic Committee (PNGOC) senior vice-president Tony Green said the money raised from both legs of the PM’s Golf Challenge would go to helping send a team that could potentially be one of the bigger contingents to represent the country at an Olympic Games.
The Tokyo Olympics which were postponed to next year after the global impact of the coronavirus has given athletes from 12 sports time to prepare for qualifying events. Green said despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, PNG’s elite athletes were in training with some overseas while the rest in PNG.
“To date, we have two sailors in brother and sister, Teariki and Rose-lee Numa, who both qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in the men and women’s laser events,” he said.
“There are 12 other targeted sports we are working with to qualify athletes in which are athletics, judo, karate, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, weightlifting and hopefully qualify our first Olympic team, the women’s rugby sevens team, who qualified for the repechage which was to have taken place in Paris, France, in June this year but has been deferred to next year. They must finish in the top two to qualify for the Olympics.”
Green said the Olympics was the pinnacle of every athlete’s sporting career and without the support of businesses athletes would not be able to achieve their Olympic dream.
He acknowledged the Government’s support as well as that of the corporate community at the first leg of the PM’s Corporate Golf Challenge in Lae on Sunday.
“On behalf of the of the PNG Olympic Committee and Team PNG, I wish to thank the Prime Minister for his support in patronising this event, and to all the teams that participated thank you so much for supporting Team PNG.”
Green also acknowledged and thanked major sponsor The National and support sponsors Air Niugini, Coral Sea Hotels, Brian Bell Group, Ela Motors, Theodist, Coca-Cola Amitil, SP Brewery, Media Partners and Nambawan Trophy Haus.
He also extended PNGOC’s gratitude to prize sponsors Pacific Palms, Trukai Industries, BMobile, Total Waste Management and Nestle.