Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) on Tuesday, July 16th, announced Team PNG who will participate in the 2024 Olympic Games slated from July 26 to August 11 in Paris, France.
The announcement was made by former PNG Swimming legend and Chef de Mission, Ryan Pini, who revealed the names of the participants that will represent the country in various sporting events.
A total of six athletes will travel, including their respective coaching staff and management of the six sports the athletes will take part in.
The six PNG athletes who will represent the country in their different sporting disciplines in the 2024 Olympic Games are as follows:
● Georgia-Leigh Vele - Swimming
● Josh Tarere - Swimming
● Leonie Beu - Athletics
● Gibson Mara - Taekwondo
● Kevin Kassman - Taekwondo
● Morea Baru - Weightlifting
These six athletes were selected on merit basis to represent the country. They were the cream of the crop in their respective codes to get the nod in representing PNG on the international stage.
PNG Chef de Mission to the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ryan Pini, congratulated the athletes on making it into the National Team and wished them best of luck in the international tournament.
“As the Chef de Mission, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to each of our athletes. Your hard work, passion, and resilience have brought you to this pinnacle of sporting achievement, and we are confident that you will represent PNG with honor and pride,” Pini expressed.
PNG Olympic Committee Secretary General, Desmond Kaviagu, echoed similar sentiments by Pini and thanked the Government, business houses and sponsors for backing Team PNG.
Speaking retrospectively, PNG made its debut at the Olympic Games in 1976 in Montreal, Canada. Over the years, PNG has fielded 61 participants in a total of 8 different sports, but has never won an Olympic medal to date.
With all odds stacked against PNG, these six athletes will carry the weight of the country on their shoulders and rise to the challenge to make their presence known, and hopefully break the hoodoo by winning at least a single medal at the international event.
Meanwhile, Georgia-Leigh Vele and Gibson Mara were appointed as the Flag Bearers for Team PNG.
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