Gulf to recruit city-based athletes to boost Games

 By JACK AMI

THE Gulf provincial government, through its community development office, is serious about doing well at the 8th PNG Games in Kimbe, West New Britain.

Community development acting director Ake Maeaoka said the provincial government had passed a resolution to recruit elite Gulf athletes from Port Moresby to represent their province of birth.

“The resolution is supported by Governor Havila Kavo to ensure that Team Gulf is competitive at the PNG Games level, with its elites from the nation’s capital,” Maeaoka said.

He said the Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation, through an understanding with Kavo and the provincial government, had plans to develop sports in the province.

He said the governor and the community development office commended the foundation’s special programmes coordinator Peter Angula and Michelle Bowen for spearheading the partnership for sports development in Gulf.

Maeaoka said: “Enough is enough.

“Our elite athletes have represented Team NCD and other provinces and have made a name for them.

“This is our time and we are going out there for the pride of Gulf and its people at the Games.

“We have made reservations for our sons and daughters to be involved as players, trainers and coaches to assist us with quality training leading to the provincial and PNG Games.”

The province’s ball games teams will include at least five to six players NCD-based Gulf players.

Angula said his division was impressed with the untapped, rural talent and was willing to help develop, promote and expose the athletes to the next level.

“We have a duty to ensure that sportsmen and women in Gulf are given the best training and coaching to develop and progress in their career pathway,” Angula said. “There is a lot of promising talent here, which needs to be developed at the provincial level before they’re identified by the national selectors,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bowen said Moripi and Toaripi LLG netball games would be played at Malalaua station next month.

He said this would be followed by the provincial games in Kerema, with dates yet to be confirmed by the community development office.