Team PNG vying to win medals, improve ranking at Mini Games

 THE Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) is vying on winning medals at the upcoming Mini Pacific Games to improve results compared to the 2009 games.

PNGOC secretary general Auvita Rapilla assured that there was hope in the PNG contingent to win more medals and to improve results.

Team PNG will be competing in all eight sports: athletics, rugby 7s (mens), volleyball, beach volleyball, Va’a, weightlifting, sailing and taekwondo.

“We will definitely improve our results this time,” Rapilla said.

At the last Mini Pacific Games in Cook Islands, 2009, PNG finished 11th behind Pacific neighbours Vanuatu, Tonga and Solomon Islands.

This year, PNGOC included athletics and weightlifting to the programme, two sports that did not compete in the 2009 Games.

Rapilla said that medals can be won through individual sports like athletics and weightlifting.

Rapilla added that the Games will gauge their level of performance before the 2015 Pacific Games.