BY LISA PUNI
PNG has won the bid to host the upcoming FIBA Oceania U-17 Championships scheduled for the 2nd of October 2023. This will be the first major FIBA event for PNG to stage.
This was officially announced today by the Interim President for Basketball Federation PNG, Emma Waiwai and was witnessed by FIBA Oceania Executive Director, Amenda Jenkins at the Taurama Acquatic & Indoor Centre, Port Moresby.
Amongst 8 other Oceania Fiba Federations, PNG has won the bid to stage the upcoming Fiba Oceania U-17 Championships tipped for the coming October.
An adamant Basketball Federation PNG interim President, Emma Waiwai, was delighted to make the announcement.
“We were fortunate for FIBA Oceania to give us the nod again to host an Oceania game in Papua New Guinea,” said Emma Waiwai.
Fiba Oceania Executive Director, Amenda Jenkins, who recently came to visit BFPNG emphasized that PNG is one of the countries in the region that has world class facilities to hosting such an event.
“The reason we keep coming back to PNG is because of the fantastic venues that we have here like the Sir John Guise Stadium. This really is one of the world class venues,” said Amenda Jenkins.
Director Jenkins further added that although BFPNG has few months left to preparing the facilities and the venues, ahead of the games, she is confident that the BFPNG will get the improvements done on time. The championships were last held in New Caledonia in 2019. The 2021 games were postponed in 2021 due to travel restrictions in the region.
