NCD racks in boxing medals at nationals

 REIGNING champions Team NCD easily retained the national boxing champions tag which was held at Vunapope Diocese Hall, Kokopo over the weekend.

Filtered with elite national representatives, the National Capital District were far superior in skills and technique racking up seven of the eight gold medals on offer to win the two-day championship.

The NCD winners were Charles Keama (49kg), Junior Kaoka (52kg), Henry Umings (56kg), Tom Boga (60kg), Chicko Emmanuel (64kg), Alex Worogop (69kg), Charlie Kavo (75kg), while East New Britain’s Tony Toliman won gold in 81kg division.

All NCD fighters won their fights on either stoppage decisions, walk overs or out-classed decisions proving the nation’s capital is indeed the leader is the sport.

East New Britain finished second when their female fighters won three golds to bring the total number of goals to four. The goal medals winners were Gerardine Kupe (49kg), Therese Ikena (51kg), Reyline Jola (64kg).

Gulf came third with one gold and two silvers followed by the Autonomous Region of Bougainville with one gold and on silver and two bronze.

Newcomers Jiwaka and Abau won their first medals (silvers) at any boxing championships. 

Jiwaka’s wild-punching Paul Koivi picked up a silver medal despite injuring himself in a semi-final while Abau’s Beupu Noki won the first medal for the Abau District.

Tournament director Dick Larry said the two-day tournament went well despite the low number of teams taking part. 

From an intitial schedule of 10 centres/associations who nominated to participate, only six teams managed to turned up in Kokopo.

Larry expressed his disappointed with other boxing affiliates, but was full of praise for little known Jiwaka and Abau who made an attempt to take part.

The Kairuku Amateur Boxing Association and other PNG Amateur Boxing Union affiliates from Lae, Manus and Goroka did not fare well at the national titles or did not come at all.

Funding woes and a lack of sponsors for these affiliates may have contributed to their poor showing, however, the host association and the participants carried on to produce good boxing over the two-day championship.