Gold medallists best example

 THEY are the toast of the country for their achievements in sports. 

Weightlifters Steven Kari and Dika Toua have shown a generation of Papua New Guineans that with the right attitude and an unwavering dedication to their chosen sport great things can be achieved. 

The Commonwealth Games gold medallists are a great example of what can be accomplished when natural talent is combined with hard work and commitment. 

They have shown that in spite of their humble beginnings it was possible to rise to the top, and they have proven their worth not just as the best in the Oceania region but internationally as well. 

These two from Hanuabada village in Port Moresby are truly world class athletes. 

What can young aspiring athletes learn from these two champions? 

Firstly, it is the belief that if their fellow Papua New Guineans can excel on the world stage then there is the potential in any sportsman and woman to do the same thing. 

Secondly, there are no secrets or short-cuts to becoming a champion. Hard work, commitment, discipline and self-belief are the key. 

Thirdly, it does not matter if the facilities are lacking or the opportunities are few, champions or those who want it more than anyone else, find a way to rise above the rest. 

It is worth mentioning that sportsmen and women who perform and win medals, are now being rewarded with significant monetary incentives so it is no longer about just doing well but knowing that you will be appreciated for the all the effort put in. 

Papua New Guinea is short of heroes and role models the public, particularly the young children and youth, can look up to and the ones they are most likely to identify with and relate to are the homegrown sports stars who not only talk the talk but most importantly walk it. 

PNG is a sporting minnow on the world stage but once in a while champions emerge to capture the public’s imagination and give them something to cheer for and to be proud about. Lawn bowler Geua Tau in the 1990 (Commonwealth Games) surprised many to win the country’s first gold medal and swimmer Ryan topped the 100-metre butterfly at the 2006 edition in Melbourne. 

In the country’s number one pastime, rugby league, Marcus Bai and Stanley Gene were two men who started off in PNG before making a name for themselves in the top competitions in Australia and the United Kingdom respectively. 

These were the sports stars that many admired and aspired to be like, and now we have Toua and Kari. The path they have chosen has not been easy. 

There have been sacrifices on their part as well as on their families but they said, in interviews over the weekend after returning from Glasgow, that that was the only way to be a champion. 

Kari, who left his home at 16 to train under the tutelage of coach Paul Coffa at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute in Noumea, New Caledonia, said he had rarely seen and spoken to his family over the four years. “I want to be the best, so I have to do whatever it takes,” Kari said. 

The secret to his success is simple – train hard every day, because that is the only way. The 21-year-old, who comes across as one of the most focused and determined athletes, said during his time in Noumea he concentrated on training and improving his lifts and did not spare any time for family or thinking about home. 

Toua, at 30, and already a mother of two, said it was hard being away from her young family but she was grateful to her family for their support and understanding. 

The common goal Toua and Kari share is that they have chosen their vocation and have dedicated their lives to becoming the best they can be at it. 

Their gold medal performances were not the result of six months work or even a year but the culmination of years of training (both physical and mental),  big competition and contest day experience, dieting and above all putting their sports goals ahead of all else. 

Papua New Guineans who want to follow in their footsteps should take note that this is what it takes to be on top.