Mt Wilhelm athletes haul 16 medals at national championships

MOUNT Wilhelm Athletics Association has won 16 medals in the recently concluded National Athletics Championships in Lae over the Queen’s Birthday weekend.
“To win 16 medals goes down in the history of Mt Wilhelm Athletics Association since its inception in 2008,” head coach Willie Suglma said.
“We won four gold, eight silver and four bronze medals at the national championship early this month.”
Suglma used the occasion of Gembogl schools Hiv/Aids and Tuberculosis (TB) exposition at Gembogl station last week to make official presentations of the medals to winners, mostly school children.
He said 21 athletes represented Mt Wilhelm Athletics Association at the championships in Lae and won 16 medals which was the biggest medal haul in any such championship.
“This is a positive achievement made possible by our local MP and Minister for Culture and Tourism Tobias Kulang with financial support,” Suglma said.
Minister Kulang, who comes from Kekla village at the foot of Mt Wilhelm, funded K10,000 to support the team to participate at the national championship.
He has been supporting the association over the past 10 years.
Suglma said their association has separately affiliated with PNG Athletics Union (PNGAU) apart from Chimbu Athletics Association.
He said over the past 10 years the association produced national runners in Anna Pius, Gertrude Joe, Tuna Tina, Monica Miugle, Kupsy Bisamo and Caspar Simbai, adding that it would continue to produce.