Four senior track and field athletes, who left the country yesterday, will be joined by U18 and U20 sprint and relay athletes tomorrow with the last lot of athletes to fly out on Sunday.
The U18 and U20 sprinters who are leaving for Fiji for the Oceania Championships tomorrow, travelled to Port Moresby, representing Kimbe, Rabaul, Manus and Lae.
The team met with the PNG high Performance Team yesterday, to go through a few things that athletes must know when traveling overseas, especially when representing the country.
Some of the things touched on and covered with the athletes were anti-doping processes, recovery after and during the competition, resilience and team building.
Traveling for the first tomorrow with the team will be Team Coach for U18 and U20 Sprints and relay team, Allan Akia, who believes the team has worked hard over the last few months in preparations for the Oceania Championships.
In Fiji, the competition categories will cover three groups, U18, U20 and the open division. Some of the events listed for the PNG side will cover 100m and 200m sprints, the 800m and 1500m races, and the relay race for both the Men’s and Women’s events.
Allan said he is happy with the selection of the team, based on their past and previous competition results. Athletes participating in the Oceania championships, may find themselves represent their respective provinces in the PNG Games, and the country at the Mini- Pacific Games.
Their Team Coach believes based on their home ground performances, there’s a fair chance of at least bagging some medals.
Toea Wisil, dubbed the ‘Pacific Sprint Queen’ will be travelling from Australia and joining the team in Fiji.
Wisil, who holds the record in Oceania in the one hundred meter sprint, will be leading the PNG side and participating in her respective events.
Wisil will also be using the opportunity to train for international events.
All athletes will be closely monitored as they perform in front of the PNG athletics Union President, Tony Green.
