Oro’s man in the mix
The National, Monday January 26th, 2015
By JACK AMI
ORO’S Steven Bonga has a mammoth challenge ahead of him to secure a spot in the national karate squad for the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby.
Bonga, 18, is a year 10 student at Popondetta Secondary School and after training at the national camp in Port Moresby for the past week is under no illusions about what it will take to make the cut.
Discipline, determination and dedication has gotten this far but Bonga says he still has to improve to beat some of the best fighters from Port Moresby, Central and Morobe.
The youngster hails from Dabo village, Oro, and started in the sport in 2010, competing in the 55kg division (kumite).
He said it was his first time to train with the national elite training squad and he had picked up many useful tips and methods from ineracting with fighters from other centres as well as the instructors.
“This sport is all about discipline and respect and training hard and I think I’m committed. I just hope I can get a spot for the Games,” Bonga said.
Bonga is confident his performance during the camp has given him the best possible chance.
He represented Team Oro at the 6th PNG Games in Lae and settled for a bronze medal, which he describes as a learning curve.
Bonga said since joining karate in Popondetta he has represented Oro in all the national championships and had matured into a real contender for his weight class.
He won two bronze medals in the 2012 Kokopo Games and performed well at the national championships in Port Moresby in 2013.
Bonga credited Oro Karate Do Association mentor and coach Kevin Duna for guiding him in training and teaching him the other aspects of the sport which play an important role in performance.
He thanked PNG karate president Carl Mari and mentor Trevor Roberts as well as the local coaches for their commitment and dedication to train the elite squad of which he was proud to be part of in preparations for the Games.
Bonga thanked his sponsors Compass PNG Ltd and Dabo Investments and Business Advisory Ltd for their timely backing in getting him and his provincial teammates to the national camp.