PNG community in Cairns prepare food for athletes

THE Papua New Guinea community in Cairns, Australia, prepared food for Team PNG’s athletics contingent last week ahead of their Pacific Games campaign.
The track and field events in Apia, Samoa, begin on Monday and the athletes have been camped in Cairns since June 29 after attending the Oceania Championships in Townsville.
“Food and words of encouragement have not been in short supply to fuel the athletes’ intensive training programme with three ‘wantok’ groups visiting the athletes at the Bohemia Resort last week with a variety of dishes,” Athletics PNG said in a statement.
Team manager Nola Peni said: “The resort is an ideal venue for groups such as ours as it has a large kitchen and dining tables around the poolside.
“Individuals and groups have donated food supplies and on three occasions, food has been cooked for the athletes and brought in.
“On Tuesday night, it was Highlands group, Wednesday Morobe and Thursday East New Britain.”
The athletes have been kept busy with activities in their free time, with a visit by Kieran Scibberas of Titans Sports Performance to discuss matters such as mental preparation.
Cairns-based and former high performance physiotherapist Simon Morris screened elite athlete Ephraim Lerkin at his clinic and also visited the athletes to offer support and advice.
A barbeque for the whole team was hosted by the PNG Wantoks Association at the Cairns Esplanade on Sunday with a good number of residents turning out.
The athletes got to meet and interact with fellow Papua New Guinea while enjoying their day off.
Camp coordinator Philip Rehder took the opportunity to thank the community for their support.
The team head to Apia at the end of the week with the first group travelling on Friday, some on Saturday, and others who do not have events on Monday returning to Port Moresby to travel on the second Team PNG charter which leaves on Sunday morning.