Growing medal haul delights Team PNG head

 TEAM Papua New Guinea chef de mission Richard Kassman, pictured,  is delighted with the medal haul by the hosts so far.

Speaking in a press conference yesterday after six days of the Pacific Games, he said he was very happy with the results from certain codes that started competition in the first week

“Touch football men’s and women’s have done us proud by getting home the gold,” he said.

“Our weightlifting greats secured gold for us, the sport of shooting has seen a new hero in Tanya Mairi, our soccer girls maintain their champion spirit and our women’s va’a created history.”  

But Kassman admitted the Games were still in early stages and the country’s athletes had more to offer in the other codes that had not yet started their competitions.

Kassman acknowledged the Pacific Games organising committee and the media for their coverage to thousands of people and urged all other Team PNG athletes who are yet to play to think of the positives and make their country proud. 

He welcomed the PNG rugby league 9s players who arrived in the Games Village yesterday and wished them the best in the first ever tournament since the 2007 Pacific Games in Samoa. 

Other sporting code representatives who were present to hear Kassman were from men’s touch football and the shooting team. 

Representatives from va’a, table tennis and weightlifting could not attend due to their Games competition schedules. 

Kassman said Team PNG would be organising press conferences regularly to update the public on the progress of their teams in the Games.