PNGOC continue fundraising

By PATRICIA KEAMO
THE Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) will continue to raise funds and seek sponsorship for Team PNG’s Olympic Games contingent, according to secretary-general Auvita Rapilla.
She said apart from the recent sponsorship from City Pharmacy Group, Brian Bell had partnered PNGOC to raise funds through the sale of their merchandise.
Rapilla said another major fundraiser was the Trukai Fun Run, however, they would be scaling down the programme due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Brian Bell will also be assisting us with some fundraising initiatives, so we will be making some announcements soon,” she said.
“For the Fun Run, we’re working with Trukai on how that will proceed, so we can sell shirts to raise funds for Team PNG.”
Rapilla said last year’s Prime Minister’s Corporate Golf Challenge, of which The National is a sponsor, had also raised funds to support Team PNG.
“Apart from that, we have the support of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through the Pacific-Australia sports programme, where they assisted us with funds last year and that is helping us prepare our athletes,” she said.
“At the moment, it’s a small team, so it’s not as challenging as the Pacific and Commonwealth Games.
“We’re confident that we will raise the necessary funds for Team PNG.” Twenty-nine athletes from across 10 sports are being supported by PNGOC to prepare for their qualifiers and the Olympics.
Sailing siblings Teariki and Rose-Lee Numa have already qualified for the Tokyo event. The other sportsmen and women in athletics, swimming, table tennis, tennis, triathlon, boxing, weightlifting, women’s rugby sevens and shooting are still in the qualifying stages.