Harabe primed for qualifiers

By LESLIE OMARO
THE sky is the limit for 35-year-old Southern Highlands disabled powerlifter Timothy Harabe as he aims to do well at the paralympic powerlifting championships.
The paralympic powerlifting championships to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Feb 5-7, is Harabe’s only chance to win a spot at this year’s Olympic Games in London.
This will be Harabe’s second championships the last one he attended was in July 2010 where he finished 16 out of 24 competitors.
Coach Jeffery Robby, who has been preparing and training Harabe, said this time his charge would be aiming to better his bench press mark of 155kg set at the Commonwealth Games in 2010. 
“I told him not to count his chickens before they hatch and just stay positive and focus on qualifying for the Olympics.
“In terms of preparation we train five times a week.
“Every other day except Monday where he (Timothy) does a light training session and on Tuesday’s it gets a bit heavy.
“Morning sessions are flexibility workouts and in the afternoon it’s bench press the event that Timothy will be competing in at the Kuala Lumpur qualifiers.
“That’s his training scheduled since he started last November.
“I want him to be prepared well for the long flight and be fresh and ready for his competition,” Robby said.
Harabe from Kambolo village in Margarima district told The National that he was aiming to do well and improve his ranking at his first championship.
 “I’m happy that I will be representing PNG for the second time at the Olympic qualifiers with Jeffery (Robby) and I thank him for his support again.
“I would like to thank chairman of National Disabled Association Brown Kapi for assisting me with K500.
“Also to my family and friends who have been very supportive since I arrived from Lae last November to prepare in Port Moresby.
“It’s been quite a challenge training and preparing for the qualifiers but I’m positive of doing well and my aim is to qualify,” Harabe said.
Robby thanked Bank South Pacific, Air Niugini and the PNG Paralympics Committee for their sponsorship and assistance.
The pair will leave for Kuala Lumpur via Singapore tomorrow.