Olam wins SP Sports award

By PATRICIA KEAMO
PAPUA New Guinea international and Melbourne Storm centre Justin Olam was announced as the male athlete of the year during the 28th SP Sports Awards presentation night in Port Moresby on Saturday.
His remarkable performances in 2019 and 2020 include scoring his first hattrick in his 13th National Rugby League match and helping his side win the 2020 grand final in which he scored the first try in the fourth minute.
Speaking from Australia during the virtual awards night, Olam said he was happy and humbled to win the award.
“Thank you very much to SP Brewery and other sponsors for making the awards possible,” the 27-year-old former Lae Snax Tiger and SP Hunter said.
“Congratulations to the other finalist and winners, whoever wins doesn’t matter but we are all sportsmen and women because you’ve got something rare and a true colour in you.”
Meanwhile, female athlete of the year honour went to PNG No.1 tennis player Abigail Tere-Apisah who claimed the title which was held by Pacific Games gold medallist Dika Toua for more than three years.
The 28-year-old’s milestone achievement in 2019 saw her bagging gold in a World Tennis Association singles event in Singapore — a first for any Pacific woman — and also won a doubles event in Singapore and Hong Kong.
She was also the flag bearer for PNG during the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa where she won the ladies singles, doubles, team and mixed doubles events, nabbing three gold and one silver.
Tere-Apisah’s performance in Singapore helped her regain a place in the top-300 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings.