Squash preparations on target for Games

 By HENRY MORABANG

Preparations for Team PNG squash team is on target after their recent successful squash tournament in Victoria, Australia.

The team competed at the Balarat Open, Victoria Junior Championships at Melton and the Victoria Open and Graded squash event.

Participants in the Balarat and Victoria Junior events came from all the Australian states while Victoria Open attracted participants from Australia States, USA, England, Egypt, New Zealand, Brazil, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Dutch, Mexico and New Caledonia.

Team manager an development officer John Kambuou said all the team members performed extremely well in a very highly competition finishing in the finals play-offs.

In Balarat, PNG boys performed well in a very highly competitive competition finishing in the finals play-off.

In the Victorian Open men, PNG top seeded player Junior Madako, who entered in Division One, was placed 8th in the field of 16 professional players while his three other compatriots were placed 6th, 9th and 10 respectively. 

In the women division in the same event (Victorian Open), Dorothy Boyce and Lynette Vai entered in the Division four of the events. 

New Zealand-based Boyce took out the second place as a runner-up while Lynette took out the 3rd place while Sheila Morove took out the first placing in Division 5A. 

Kambuou said the competition was highly competitive and gave our squad members much needed games that they don’t get in the country.

With New Caledonians taking part, it gave PNG the opportunity to access their games as they would be, perhaps, the only strong competitors in 2015 Games. 

PNG will take part in the Oceania championship in Norfolk Island later this year with New Caledonia and that will be the final assessment of the two.

Kambuou gave credit to coach Edmond Pereira, administrator Konia Vai for putting all their effort in getting the squad ready.