Madang starts PNG Games preparation

 MADANG started its provincial games yesterday to select a team to represent the province in the coming PNG Games in Lae next year.

Governor Jim Kas officially opened the games at noon yesterday with support from all local level government presidents.

Kas also announced an additional K20,000 on the provincial government’s budget of K200,000 for the provincial team to the games. 

He requested honest participation from teams and discouraged the use of sorcery to gain victory.

 Host organising chairman of the tournament John Gringo said participants came from all six districts in the province while Madang district itself has three teams the urban and North and South Ambenob.

Gringo said players will participate in volleyball, basketball, soccer and darts in a five-day tournament that ends on Friday.

 He said the main aim of the tournament was to select talented players from both rural and urban centres to represent the province at the PNG Games.

Gringo said there were talented players in the districts.

“You are not just here to win, lose and draw, you are here to convince officials that you have the talent to play your favourite sport to represent this province in the PNG games,” Gringo said.

He said bodybuilding would be introduced in next year’s games but three body builders yesterday did an exhibit to attract and introduce their part of sport at Laiwaden before games start.