Nine for qualifers
The National, Wednesday February 18th, 2015
NINE sports will use the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby as qualifying tournaments for their respective codes.
Pacific Games Council executive director Andrew Minogue said the nine sports are basketball, women’s cricket, netball, rugby sevens, sailing, soccer, swimming, taekwando and weightlifting.
He said the PGC was now in talks with swimming’s international body — FINA — to have swimming times recognised so swimmers from the region did not need to go to other international meets to attain qualifying times for 2015 World championships and the 2016 Olympics.
PNG Swimming Federation director Elizabeth Wells confirmed that they were awaiting a report from FINA if swimming will be included as a qualifying tournament.
The winner of the men’s rugby sevens will qualify for the Hong Kong Sevens, while the women’s will qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Basketball will use the Games as pathway event to the 2018/19 World Cups for men and women, while other sports — netball, taekwondo, weightlifting and sailing — will depend on their final Games rankings.
Minogue said weightlifting was an Olympic qualifying event, as well as women’s rugby and football.
The Pacific Games will be held from July 4 to July 18 in Port Moresby.