Highlands Open – Biggest Test For Team PNG Athletes

GOROKA, EHP: Team PNG Athletes to Palau Pacific Mini Games will put all their months of training into action this weekend at the Highlands Open Athletics Championships.

The Athletics PNG Inc. annual event will be hosted at the Papua New Guinea National Sport Institute (PNG NSI) from the 7-8th of June.

With just two weeks to go before the Mini Games, Championships Coordinator Philip Kamane said the event is likely to be the toughest yet for Team PNG athletes training at PNG NSI.

“This year’s event is likely to be the best and the toughest compared to other years. The best athletes of Athletics PNG, training at NSI will be preparing for the Pacific Mini Games in less than two weeks.”

The inclusion of a team from the NSI’s Athlete Development Program (ADP) is set to have a crack at the national team.

The ADP athletes have also been hard at training and things can turn very interesting over the weekend.

Another team also prepared to spice up the event is a host of top talents identified from the recent EHP Primary Schools festival.

“The team of selected student talents will make up Team Eastern Highlands Primary Schools at the championships. All respective schools have been notified and will send their students athletes this weekend,” Kamane added.

The annual event has received interest from as far as Finschhafen District, in Morobe Province and organizers expect that top athletes from Lae will turn up as well. 

Kamane said the event was previously known as the Highlands Momase Championships however recently the event has been renamed as more clubs and associations within and beyond the Highlands region have attended.

“This does not however limit teams from outside the Highlands region to participate. As we have noted so far, a team from as far as Gagidu has registered their interest.” Mr. Kamane said.

This year’s event will have the widest selection of participants with divisions starting from the Under 14’s, U16, U18 and Open Division.

Clubs/Associations that have indicated their participation so far are: Gagidu Primary School, Enga Provincial Team, Team Western Highlands, Team Simbu, Team Kerowagi Secondary School, Simbu Athletics Team, NSI ADP Team, Athletics PNG team, Morobe Team and EHP Primary Schools Team.

Picture Captions: 1. NSI ADP Athlete Ursula Merimba leading the charge in the U16 girls 400m

event.

2. NSI ADP Athlete Nathan Kawona leading the pack during the EHP Primary

Schools Athletics Festival.

3. Asaro Primary school students trying their hand out at Javelin.

4. NSI ADP Athlete Damien Kote showing students how to handle a Javel.