PNG to send 8 athletes to Commonwealth Youth Games

Sports

TEAM PNG will be sending 17 athletes and officials including chef de mission Michael Henao to the sixth edition of the Youth Commonwealth Games in Nassau, Bahamas, from July 19-23.
The PNG Olympic Committee and the PNG Commonwealth Games Association arranged an official farewell for the contingent yesterday at the Port Moresby Racquets club.
The contingent is made up of eight athletes and eight officials with only the Port Moresby-based officials and athletes attending the send-off.
The local contingent leaves on Saturday and will rendezvous with the rest of the team the following day in Brisbane before travelling to Los Angeles.
PNGOC president Sir John Dawanincura wished the team the best and challenged them to shine in their respective codes.
“We want all the athletes representing PNG to be proud and enjoy the experience,” Dawanincura said.
“All I can say is that it is your time to shine and as the sporting body behind you, we will always support you to excel and to become our champions.
“We know that you have sacrificed a lot and we are so grateful for all that you’ve done.”
Chef de mission Henao said the Games was a perfect opportunity for individual to gain experience and become top athletes in the future. “So it’s not only about now and it’s also about the future,” Henao said.
Three athletes in the contingent Mathew Stubbings, Patricia Apisah (tennis) and Ryan Maskelyne (swimming) took part in the previous event in Apia, Samoa, in 2015, and are expected to use that experience to lead the side at the youth event.
The rest of the five athletes are new faces to the event and will be looking to make their mark.
Mathew Stubbings was appointed flag bearer for Team PNG.
Team PNG: Michael Henao (chef de mission), Asiani Vagi (general manager), Simon Morris (physiotherapist), Letisha Pukaikia, Lawrence Lamond (athletics),Wilson Malana (athletics official); Karo Rupa, Damian Aisi, Tonnie Gima (beach volleyball); Ebony Tkatchenko, Ryan Maskelyne (swimming), Gregory Fasala (swimming official); Patricia Apisah, Mathew Stubbings (tennis), Mark Lewis (tennis official), Barbara Stubbings (tennis official).