Athletics PNG has published its calendar of events for 2013 with the major focus being the Pacific Mini Games in Wallis & Futuna early in September. A busy domestic season gets underway next month with local competitions leading up to the National Selection Trials at Easter which will be combined with the Momase Championships in Lae. Following the trials a preliminary team will be named for the Pacific Mini Games ,with athletes being expected to show good form at the National Championships in Kokopo early in July. The New Guinea Island Championships will be staged mid year , just prior to the National Championships with the venue and date to be confirmed soon. Regional Championships will also be staged in the Highland and Southern Regions in August.
Elite squad members Nelson Stone , Toea Wisil , Mowen Boino as well as a number of other athletes will be targeting the Australian National Championships in April.
The Oceania Championships will be staged in Tahiti from June 3 to 5 and the high cost of travel will mean that the PNG team size with be smaller than for many recent Oceania events. However with gold medallists gaining an automatic qualifier for the World Championship in Moscow (August 10 to 18) the incentive is there for PNG to be well represented in Moscow. Minimum qualification standards will still apply and Athletics PNG is currently preparing a selection policy for distribution.
With the cancellation of the Arafura Games , Athletics PNG is looking for alternative overseas competitions at the right level for development squad members and an announcement will be made when suitable competition opportunities have been identified.
Further courses will be held this year in PNG for coaches and technical officials, and on the administrative front Oceania Athletics is staging a Development Strategy Seminar in Fiji in conjunction with its bi ennial Congress Meeting. A competition organisation seminar will also be staged in Tahiti around the time of the Oceania Championships.
Tony Green - Jan 8, 2012
Last Modified on 27/03/2013 10:25