Olam’s win a beacon of hope

WE, the people in Papua New Guinea who were supporting and praying for Justin Olam and the Melbourne Storm for Sunday’s National Rugby League’s grand final in Sydney, are happy that Olam and his team have won the match.
How much better could it have got with PNG’s own son Olam scoring the opening try in the best competition in the world? It is like a fairy tale.
It was surreal.
We congratulate Olam and the Storm on the win and their tireless effort in attack and defence in the wet conditions preventing the Penrith Panthers from scoring in the dying minutes of the game to deny them the win.
Olam is a champion in the best rugby league competition in the world.
Even without the NRL trophy, he is still a champion to those of us who have been watching him rising from playing in a campus league to inter-city league, to the PNG Hunters and then invited over to Australia by the Melbourne Storm.
He is a champion for countless PNG youths because he has shown that if you have a dream and are willing to work day in and day out to achieve that dream with patience, hard work, discipline and perseverance, 21 years later you can realise that dream. You have to potential of playing beside the best players in the world.
Despite PNG’s situation in tough financial times and barely managing the Covid-19 crisis in the country, Olam’s win is a beacon of hope for other young people.
They can be assured that they can one day be ranked among the best in the world, not just in the nation, regardless of the challenges we face as a country. Olam’s progress so far is amazing.
We are happy for him and his family and close friends, and I am sure the millions of Papua New Guineans share with him the joy of ending this year with the win.
I have viewed a YouTube video which had different MPs regardless of region or side and Prime Minister James Marape including kinds wishing Olam the best before the game on Sunday.
Even Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare said his bit to wish Olam and the Storm the best and he was hoping that they would win the grand final.
Now we know that all the support, wishes and prayers of Olam’s own people have not been in vain.
I am sure that most Papua New Guineans in the country and overseas are in a celebratory mood because of the win.
It is likely that the MPs and street kids may soon congratulate Olam in other YouTube videos.
Despite our debates and arguments on different issues such as politics or economics, the win by Olam and the Storm has made us feel good together.
It is now inked in history books, PNG’s own son was part of the team that won the prized trophy in 2020 in Australia.
We wish Olam and the Storm the best in their time during the Christmas and New Year break.
We hope to see them ready for another top year in 2021.

PNG Man