PNG beat world champions

 By ISAIAH IGISH

IN a major upset in the 2015 Pacific Games, Papua New Guinea have shocked world canoeing champions Tahiti to snatch gold in the V12 women’s race on home waters.

Tahiti went into the 12-paddler race as favourites, after strong performances in the V6 500m and 1500m on Monday, but the local girls would not let their 18-month preparation go to waste.

After being disqualified in the V6 1500m and winning silver in the V6 500m on Monday, the gold medal performance yesterday left PNG supporters, the coaching staff and the athletes emotional, even shedding tears of joy at the Papua New Guinea Defence Force’s Lancron naval base.     

It was the first gold medal in PNG’s canoeing history, a competition that is usually dominated by Tahiti, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna. The men finished fourth.

The 12 women are now entitled to get K240,000 (K20,000 each) from the Government’s incentive.

The first medal for PNG va’a was won by the women’s team in the 2005 Palau Mini-Pacific Games, with Nellie Tetaga being part of that bronze medal performance.

The canoeists stepped up in their efforts in the 2013 Mini Pacific Games in Wallis and Futuna, where the women won a silver in the V12 500m and V6 1500m respectively. 

The silver was the first for PNG va’a. At the same Mini Games, PNG men won a bronze in the V6 500m event.   The race went down to the wire before PNG bagged gold with a mere nine nano-seconds over a powerful Tahiti side.

PNG clocked 2.26.61, nine nano-seconds in front of Tahiti (2.26.70). Fiji settled for bronze with a time of 2.42.51. PNG va’a coach Jonahtan Kassman was over the moon moments after the results were confirmed.  “It’s the first time in their (Tahiti) history they lost. First time!” Kassman said. 

“The win is just awesome! Words can’t express how overjoyed I am. They have done pretty well. 

“They (Tahiti) are the guardians of the sport and we just beat them!” Kassman said he hoped the win gave some inspiration in terms of developing the code in PNG.

“It’s culturally ingrained — many people in PNG can play the sport,” Kassman said. “This is just Central and NCD competing and beating the world champions!” 

A distressed Tahiti coach Milton Laughlin was upset about the loss as they had planned to take out all the gold on offer in the sprint events.

“We did our best, but PNG was strong,” Laughlin said.

Results: Womens: PNG (2.26.61) Tahiti (2.26.70) Fiji (2.42.51) Guam (3.01.83)

Men’s: Tahiti (1.59.94), New Caledonia (2:02:01), Wallis and Futuna (2.02.71) PNG (2.09.89), Fiji (2.10.15).