Sasama happy with team’s performance in national championships

NATIONAL Sports Institute (NSI) development team coach Samu Sasama says he is happy with his team’s performance at last weekend’s PNG Air National Athletics Championships in Port Moresby.
He told The National that he was impressed with their progress compared with other teams he had coached in the past.
NSI’s Alphonse Igish, Ezekiel Nawas, Jonathan Dende and Jobby Kinzu claimed silver in the men’s 4x400m final.
“The athletes have done very well, I’ve coached previous professional teams in the past and I think the progress I’ve seen with these athletes, with the physique they have and the natural ability they have, it’s been very easy working with the current group,” Sasama said.
“They are a development team so for them to fare well with the national athletes, they have done very well.
“We hope that we can be able to take them on next year and be more competitive.
“Hopefully, they get to represent Papua New Guinea.”
Sasama said his fellow NSI coaches had provide the athletes ample support and proper training using the institute’s facilities, including the gym and grass track.
“As a build-up to the nationals, we went to Kimbe for the West New Britain championships which were a good lead-up to Port Moresby,” he said.
“It was good that some of our national athletes went to Kimbe because we were able to find out where they where at.
“This allowed us to go back and refine our athletes for this one (nationals).”
Sasama said although they had limited preparation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, his athletes remained focused on improving their skills.
The team won three gold — one from Toea Wisil’s win in the women’s 100m final and two from Lyanne Tibu’s triumph in the women’s 800m and 1,500m finals.
“With the support of NSI, we were able to compete in the championships,” Sasama said.
He said he hoped they can market the programme to the PNG Sports Foundation, so they can secure some kind of grant to help the athletes.