Rio Olympic qualifiers on in martial arts

 By MELANIE TOLIKEN

THE Oceania Taekwondo qualifiers which will be hosted by the PNG Taekwondo Federation this Saturday at the Taurama Aquatic Centre is expected to draw a big crowd as this will be PNG’s first international level competition.

Event organising committee member Sylvia Pascoe said all was going to plan with Team PNG hard out training and they have their hopes on securing four places for athletes in the Olympics but there was tough competition coming from overseas. 

There will be an Olympic delegation attending.  The World Taekwondo Federation and Oceania Taekwondo Union delegations as well as a delegation from China will be touring the local facilities to assess PNG’s capacity to stage its first international level competition.

“Teams started arriving from overseas yesterday for the one day tournament on Saturday. It’s free of charge to the public but once we are at capacity we will have to stop the entry. Doors will be open at 7am and there will also be a small trade booth section open if people wanting to join a taekwondo club that is the time.

“Click TV is also selling products there at the stalls as they have secured broadcasting rights,” Pascoe said.

Pascoe said they have this home town advantage so she wants to encourage everyone to bring their families out in the red black and gold and show the world we are patriotic.

“I have to also thank the Oro Governor, Gary Juffa who has offered to host the delegations in Oro for a day. After the competiton, they will set off to see Oro villages, programmes, schools and clinics.  With taekwondo being the world’s eighth largest sport they have a big community responsibility programme and have made it clear that although not a long stay in PNG they wanted to get out and experience it.