PNG will compete in athletics, judo, boxing, weightlifting, swimming and taekwondo, with a total of eight athletes representing the country at the Rio Olympics next month. The qualification period was closed late last month.
Toea Wisil and Theo Piniau will compete in athletics, with Wisil to run in the 100m and 200m while Piniau will make his first appearance in the men’s 200m and 400m.
In boxing, young Thadius Katua will fight in the 60kg lightweight division after AIBA announced last week five invitational places to countries became available, in which Papua New Guinea was one of them.
Judo veteran Raymond Ovinou will compete in what will be his last Olympic appearance, and will be competing in the 66kg division.
Also going to Rio is Morea Baru, the 26-year-old weightlifter who claimed gold during the Pacific Games, and qualified to compete in the men’s 62kg division.
PNG’s super fish Ryan Pini will compete in the 50m and 100m .
And the last pair being Samantha and Maxmillion Kassman in taekwondo; Samantha will compete in the 67kg division while young Max will fight in the +80kg division.
The Rio Olympics is set to kick off on August 5 and ends on the 21st.
