Games not about winning but belonging: Tuna

 The staging of the inaugural Papua New Guinea Special Olympics is not about winning but to ensure the athletes feel that they are part of the community they live in, an offical said.

That is how PNG Special Olympics programme manageress Sophie Tuna described the hosting of the championships.  

“The Special Olympics is for people who are intellectually disabled,” Tuna said.

She said since the programme was set up two years ago, PNG has attended a championship in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, last year where it won one gold and two silver medals.

“We started with NCD and Central in the first year but it has now spread to other centres.

“More athletes will be discovered as my committee takes strides nation-wide,” she said.

Tuna said eight centres have confirmed participation.

They are Central, NCD, East New Britain, Morobe, Milne Bay, Sandaun and host, Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB).

The Games will act as selection trials for the Pacific Games and the World Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA, next year.

Codes include athletics, five-a-side football, standing and sitting volleyball and two exhibition sports – bocce and table tennis – to be contested.