Judo targets inclusion in PNG Games

Sports

PARTICIPATING in the PNG Games is something all sporting federations look forward to and with the requirements stated in the PNG Games Charter, the code of judo plans to one day get there.
PNG Judo Federation president John Jambert yesterday said that they were doing all they could to promote the sport throughout the country in order to have associations in other provinces.
The federation has associations in Goroka at the National Sports Institute, Don Bosco Technical Institute and Gereka in Central.
“The number of judo associations we have in the country now is less than what is required as per the PNG Games Charter,” Jambert said.
However, Jambert said judo will be part of the 7th PNG Games as a demonstration sport, a further step to achieve their objective of participation in the 8th PNG Games in the Southern Highlands.
Other centres in which PNG Judo Federation will launch associations soon are Lae, Mt Hagen and in the New Guinea Islands region.
However, one of the federation’s biggest challenges Jambert emphasised was the lack of equipment.  “For judo it is a big challenge because certain equipment are needed for athletes to use and that is why we are working closely with the Japanese embassy through the Sports for Tomorrow programme,” Jambert said.
He said Sports for Tomorrow was a five-year programme aimed at promoting the code in PNG and getting a lot of people involved.
Apart from the federation’s aim to be part of the PNG Games, it is also preparing for the Mini Pacific Games in Vanuatu and the Youth Commonwealth Games in Bahamas next year.
Another upcoming event which they have their eyes set on is the Oceania Open Cup next month in Tahiti.