More athletes for higher finish

 By HENRY MORABANG

IT IS important for national sports federations to have the maximum number of entries in the 2015 Pacific Games, the first quarterly workshop for the Go For Gold (G4G) programme has heard.

The national sports bodies were told the more entires the country had the greater the possible influence of the final medal tally.

The workshop was hosted by the Papua New Guinea Sports Federation & Olympic Committee (PNGSFOC) at the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby recently. 

PNGSFOC secretary-general, Auvita Rapilla  presented data on the total number of events for each sport and the corresponding maximum number of entries available. 

Sports were then asked to strategise how they would best use funding from the government through the Go For Gold programme to ensure they entered as many athletes as possible in 2015. 

“Maximising the number of athletes in Team PNG has been identified as an important way of increasing our chances of finishing high on the overall medal table,” Rapilla said.

She said there was an expectation being placed on Team PNG to finish number one in the 2015 Pacific Games like it did in 1991 Games also in Port Moresby. 

“These funds are to help the sports prepare their teams in the best way possible to realise those expectations.” she said.