PNG’s middle and long distance athletes are making great strides in their preparations for the Pacific Games in July. Twelve members of the squad are currently in Adelaide and participated in the South Australian Championships at the weekend. Team Manageress Miriam Goiye led the way with a massive personal best time of 4min 48.70 seconds in the 1500m to go fourth on the PNG all time best performance list. Martin Orovo from Popondetta who was discovered at the PNG Games in Lae is also improving rapidly, clocking an impressive 4min 07.94 seconds in the 1500m and another personal best of 1min 57.36secs in the 800m
Skene Kiage also ran a huge personal best of 9min 46.47 secs in the 3000m steeplechase, finishing in fourth place in the Championships, just behind Sapolai Yao who won the bronze medal with a time of 9:43.33 secs. Jenny Albert also hit form on Saturday with her best 1500m run since 2012 as she won the U20 race in a time of 4min 53.55 secs. The squad moves to Brisbane on Wednesday for the Queensland State Championships. The coaches are very much hoping that the squad will be joined by George Yamak and Abel Siune, whose visa applications have been pending for quite some time. The pair were left behind at NSI when the squad travelled to Adelaide.
Yamak from Western Province produced one of the highlights of the PNG Games when he won the mens 1500m from a field which included several PNG representatives. Last weekend the NSI sponsored a trip to Lae for the pair, as well as Tuna Tine , Rama Kumilgo and Maria Kuanduma whose visa applications were lodged more recently and are also penciled in for the Qld Titles. Yamak showed that he is also in great form with a time of 4min 08.0 seconds for the 1500m in Lae
Last Modified on 05/03/2015 13:21