Kumul star’s legacy to live on, official says

By JACK AMI
THE Vula’a Rugby League Nines executives say that the legacy of the late Kato Ottio as a super star from Southern region should continue with the new crop of players coming up.
League administrator Francis Frazer Kouvali said the 23-year-old Ottio was an icon and role model to the Papuans and his legacy would live on for a long time.
Kouvali said the young man of mixed Koiari, Tatana and Buka parentage has inspired many youngsters from the Southern region having hit the limelight in his early 20s.
“When we all heard the tragic news, all our hearts sank for a player that we knew had a longer career to represent Papua New Guinea Kumuls,” he said.
“We have a lot of respect for Katzy as he was one of the Southern stars who made a tremendous surge no player has made before.”
Kouvali said Ottio’s surge to the national and international level was incredible as he made a name for himself, his family and Papua New Guinea.
“The 23-year-old has represented the Kumuls seven times and has a good number of years more ahead of him but tragedy struck so soon and so early which has broken all our hearts because he was a Papuan son,” said Kouvali.
“It will be very difficult for another Papuan player to be like Katzy. It would be some time for another youngster to rise up from Southern region.”
He said the young Ottio’s death was also a challenge to Papuan youngsters to be serious to achieve their goals in their sporting careers.
“There are players like current PNG Hunters player Adam Korave, former Kumul Josiah Abavu and his young sibling Bland, who are all role models for our youth’s development in rugby league,” he said.
“We extend our deepest condolence to the family, relatives in Koiari, Tatana, Autonomous Region of Bougainville and friends in Southern region, the country and overseas.”