PNG to host major event

PAPUA New Guinea has been selected to host the 2025 South Pacific Bodybuilding Championship in Port Moresby, an official says.
Papua New Guinea Bodybuilding Federation president Ronald Haihavu said the South Pacific Bodybuilding Federation has selected Port Moresby to host next year’s championship and a team was set up to organise the event.
Haihavu said the federation was preparing for an exciting year of competitions both locally and overseas, following their successful participation at the Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands last year.
“We start our 2024 programme with an athlete recruitment drive on April 6 in Port Moresby, followed by the national titles which are tentatively set for June 14-15 to be held in Minj, Jiwaka,” he said.
“We are also considering sending a team to the South East Asia Championships to be held from Oct 25-27 in Indonesia, followed by the South Pacific Bodybuilding Championships in the Solomon Islands.” Haihavu said the bodybuilding team to the Pacific Games all returned home with a medal each (three gold, two silver and 1 bronze) which showed potential for more champions in the sport.
“We are very proud of our natural body who carried out their training in backyard gyms, but managed to come up with six medals at the regional games to contribute a considerable chunk into PNG’s overall medal haul,” Haihavu said.
“We unfortunately were unable to send a female team, however as a way forward we are now launching a campaign to recruit more women and girls into the sport to participate in physique competition where the athletes display toned, athletic physique showcasing femininity, muscle tone and beauty/flow of physique.”
Haihavu said they were looking at upcoming males who wish to take up the sport, and they were keen on identifying trainers, coaches, dieticians, and association executives to support the sport.