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TEAM PNG AT THE OPENING CEREMONY

A whole year later than scheduled, Team PNG proudly walked out into the Opening ceremony, at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium last night (Friday 23 July). Flag bearers Dika Toua and Morea Baru led the team into a stadium empty of spectators but full of athletes and the ceremony dancers. The order of the walk out was unusual with countries marching in, according to the Japanese alphabet, which saw Papua New Guinea sandwiched between Bahamas and Bermuda. Chef de Mission, Tamzin Wardley said the atmosphere was certainly unusual with no cheers as each country was announced but the show went on. The covid19 related restrictions imposed due to the State of Emergency in Tokyo meant that there were no spectators apart from a few hundred dignatories representing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and National Olympic Committees from the 206 nations of the world competing at Tokyo. Secretary General and IOC Member, Auvita Rapilla was the lone PNG supporter in the stands. President of the PNG Olympic Committee, Sir John Dawanincura had earlier made a decision not to travel to Tokyo due to the potential health risks he would face. Wardley stated, “The Games Village had been alive all day with a buzz as athletes collected uniforms, held practice parades down the main street of the village and raced to get home from early training in time for the transport”. “The ceremony show was low key compared to previous Games but still held all the special Olympic moments with the raising of the Olympic flag, the athletes pledge for a fair and true competition, and the arrival of the Olympic flame. “The flame had journeyed from its ancestral home in Athens Greece and has travelled across Japan in the recent months”. “The torch bearers in the stadium included former Japanese athletes, children from across Japan and representatives from the medical profession who have been fighting the COVID pandemic here in Japan”. “The final torch bearer was Japan’s tennis star and former world number 1, Naomi Osaka who climbed the stairs to a spinning silver ball and lit the flame”.

Published on July 25, 2021

https://pnghausbung.com/12736-2/

Published on July 25, 2021

HUNTERS FIRE BEFORE LATE BURST OF CUTTERS TRIES

SP PNG Hunters unleashed some of the best football of their season before a rush of Mackay Cutters tries led to an upset result in the Intrust Super Cup clash at Bycroft Oval. The Cutters won 40-30, scoring four tries in 19 minutes in the second half to claw back a deficit before a strong Hunters home crowd. The Hunters had picked up from where they left off in last weekend’s stunning win over the Northern Pride in Atherton as winger Junior Rau marked his 50th game in style with three tries by the fourth minute of the second half. Brendon Gutono scored twice while the flying feet of Solo Wane found the tryline again as the Hunters used the full width of the field to get past the Cutters defence. The Hunters looked slick as they spread the ball and defended their line with determination to establish a 30-14 lead but this game was decided by tries. The Cutters finished with seven tries to the Hunters’ six as Buchanan Rawhiti, Matiu StoneDunn and Ross Bella each grabbed doubles. Bella’s tries were critical, crossing in the 69th and 74th minutes to push the Cutters ahead. A penalty goal on full time stretched the final margin to 10 points as the Hunters lamented a match that was in their grasp. They were frustrated two weeks earlier when a healthy halftime lead against the Sunshine Coast was pegged back by the Falcons in a difficult second half. “That feels like the match that got away from us,” Hunters coach Matt Church said. “We played some excellent football in patches today but then we played some patches that let Mackay get back into the game and challenge us. “Everyone is very disappointed with the outcome today. We need to channel that disappointment into the consistency that we know we can show as a team. We showed it last week against a good team a long way from home but we didn’t maintain it on saturday.” The Northern Pride underlined the strength of the Hunters’ win over them last week when they travelled to Brisbane to thrash second-placed Wynnum Manly by 30 points. The Hunters initially looked set to continue their impressive set as their backline again made the most of their forward strength, using every inch of the Bycroft Oval width. Gutuno continued his good try-scoring form but a hamstring twinge prevented him from returning to the field in the second half. Ase Boas captained the Hunters in the absence of injured skipper Ila Alu, who hopes to return next weekend when the Hunters head north to Maryborough to meet Wynnum Manly. The Cutters will head south for a second consecutive weekend to meet the Dolphins at Redcliffe.

Published on July 25, 2021

https://pnghausbung.com/

Published on July 25, 2021

https://pnghausbung.com/dika-toua-makes-olympic-history/

Published on July 25, 2021

DIKA TOUA MAKES OLYMPIC HISTORY

Dika Toua made Olympic history, as the first female weightlifter to compete at five Olympic Games as she finished 10th out of fourteen (14) athletes. Toua is not new to making history at the Olympics as back at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games she became the very first female to participate in Olympic weightlifting for females. Toua competed in the 49kg event, at the Tokyo International Forum, on Saturday morning in the first day of competition at the Games. Toua, at 37, was the oldest athlete in the field and had to change weight category due to the new Olympic weight categories, at these Games, having formerly lifted in the 53kg category. The field of 14 athletes included current senior world record holder in the Snatch and Total, Chinese athlete, Zhihui Hou and world record holder in the Clean and Jerk, India’s Chanu Saikhom Mirabai. Fourteen athletes compete in each weight class, split into two groups based on previous combined personal records (PRs). Those with higher PRs make up Group A, while remaining athletes make up Group B. Group B completes both rounds of competition before Group A begins. Dika was placed in Group B based on her records. In her first attempt, Toua snatched 69kg followed by 72kg in her second attempt. She had attempted 76kg in her final attempt but was not able to complete the lift to settle for 72kg. In the Clean and Jerk round, Toua attempted 95kgs in her first attempt but was unable to complete the lift. She was able to hold 95kgs in her second attempt. In an attempt to improve her overall total, she had attempted 100kgs however; she was not able to hold on to complete the lift as she settled for 95kgs to finish with a total of 167kg. She finished fourth in Group B and tenth overall after the completion of both Groups. Toua placed 10th overall with a score of 167kg. Chef de Mission Tamzin Wardley said, “Everyone was so proud of Dika’s achievements especially as her mentor and longtime coach, Paul Coffa was unable to travel to Japan. “Dika holds a special place in the hearts of the weightlifting community. After two decades of participation at the highest levels around the world, she is a wel l-known and much admired personality up on the weightlifting platform”. “We have members of the press and officials coming up to anyone in a Team PNG uniform to tell us how much they admire her. “Her role as an ambassador for our country cannot be overstated”. The gold medal in the event was won by China with a combined total of 210kg. [embeddoc url="https://pnghausbung.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Weightlifting_W49kg_Dika-Toua_FINAL-Results.pdf"]

Published on July 25, 2021

A DAWN SERVICE IN BUNA VILLAGE TO COMMEMORATE REMEMBRANCE DAY

An Inaugural Dawn Service which was initiated by the Member for Ijivitari, Richard Masere was held at Buna village beachside in Northern Province recently to commemorate Remembrance Day. The ceremony saw a number of ex-service men coming forward to lay wreaths in a show of respect for all the fallen heroes. During his keynote address, Mr Masere made an announcement in that the villages along the Northern beach head, will now have access to better infrastructure similar to what Kokoda has at present. “We will use this to our advantage to develop a tourism prospect which will attract tourists to this forgotten part of the World War 2 impact areas,” said Masere. The Dawn Service at Buna Memorial has been hailed a success with the announcement of the Kokoda Initiative Development to support war affected areas along the Northern beach head, through impact development programs. Northern Beach Head areas include Sananada, Killerton, Gona and the Sauga grassland areas. A tourism prospect will be developed to attract tourists to this part of the of the world. Buna and the Northern Beaches of Northern Province had been neglected over the years during Remembrance Day celebrations despite their significance and their rich history during the World War 2. Buna was labeled as the ‘Bloody Buna’ after the battle of Buna which was part of the Niugini campaign in the Pacific during World War 2. The Bloody Buna battle began in July 1942 and was won by General Douglas McAuthur and the Allied Forces in January 1943.

Published on July 24, 2021

ST JOHN’S AMBULANCE HUMBLED BY POSITIVE FEEDBACK IN LAE

CEO of St John’s Ambulance, Mr Matt Canon is overwhelmed by a feedback received recently on Facebook after his team in Lae arrived on time to Munum village which is approximately 40miles away from Lae City to help attend to a first-time mother who had already given birth however, needed much medical attention to assist with the after-birth process. The St John’s Ambulance Services team in Lae received a call and arrived on the scene less than an hour to provide medical care and attention to the 22-year-old first time mother. “The story shows that the emergency response system that we have been operating for the government is working well as we already are responding to emergencies like this,” said Mr. Canon. He added that it is rewarding to hear when the team is gratefully appreciated as it goes to show that our emergency response system is working as it should. Mr Canon added that the St Johns Ambulance responds to hundreds of calls each week in Port Moresby, Lae, Kokopo and Kundiawa. “A coordinated approach to ambulance services is the most efficient and safest way to improve people’s access to healthcare in an emergency”, said Mr Canon. He further stated that the Ambulance services started operations in Lae, Morobe Province in May this year but already, the quick response by the team to such emergency cases has been tremendous since. Images by Peter Jnr Babul

Published on July 24, 2021

ONE IN FOUR CHILDREN INC TO ASSIST SCHOOLS IN SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS PROVINCE

One in Four Inc, an Australian NGO that is focused on unlocking futures for African migrants, refugees and basically young people in developing countries who have limited opportunities for learning has come to the aid of schools in the Southern Highlands Province. 17 Primary Schools and 6 High and Secondary schools in the province will be receiving computers and library books from One in Four Children Inc. The presentation will be done at Kembil Primary School on the 30th of July, 2021. “We know that books are magical and they delight, educate, empower and inspire us to dream to become who we desire,” said treasurer of the NGO, Mr Dickson Ken. “With every new page, One in Four gives hope to children experiencing illiteracy through its’ efforts of supplying reading and other educational materials.” Mr Ken said that this will be their first major donation to be done here in Papua New Guinea. He added that before the donation to schools in Southern Highlands, the NGO had donated some computers and library books to Kerema Coronation Secondary School in Gulf Province and Kabiufa Adventist Secondary School in the Eastern Highlands Province.

Published on July 24, 2021

UNIVERSITIES HOST INTER – SUMMIT TO FOCUS ON ISSUES WITHIN RESPECTIVE INSTITUTIONS

A meeting was held recently at the University of Goroka campus in which the Student Representative Council Presidents from the Divine Word University, University of Technology, University of Papua New Guinea and the University of Goroka came together to discuss various issues affecting students in their respective Universities. UPNG Student Representative Council President, Mr Bradley Yombon-Copio said that the main agenda tabled by the University of PNG was the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for there to be a partnership and friendship between students in all tertiary Institutions around the country. “The MOU signed will look into student exchange programs, Inter-university sporting activities, academic debates, programs and more importantly focus on the Government Policy on Higher Education which affects all students,” said Mr Yombon-Copio. The SRC Presidents shared ideas, experiences and problems that confront them daily and important steps in establishing unity across all higher learning institutions. “Because the base line and direction that we want to set is that our focus must be within the institution.” Mr Yombon – Copio added that for far too long, the UPNG SRC has been consumed by national politics and trending issues and in the process, they have neglected themselves. “Our focus has to be within the Institutions and not on national politics or problems that base our country which are also significant however we believe that focusing within the institutions and improving quality of students and graduates can also greatly contribute to the future of our country as well,” he said. “This must change, we are the future of this country and we must invest in ourselves, the future of this country and those who will take the country forward are within these institutions,” said the UPNG SRC President. In light of this, Mr Yombon – Copio said their focus will be based on student issues and interests above all. “There is no magic pill to all the problems we face now in this country and if we want a better future for our country, we must start with ourselves. Change must start in here before it reaches Papua New Guinea,” said Mr Yombon-Copio. He further expressed his gratitude and thanks for such a meeting to have taken place as the meeting was a historical one and the first of its’ kind as it signified a new direction to focus on students’ issues and interests alone with unity being the main agenda of the gathering to allow for everyone to work together for the future.

Published on July 24, 2021

WATCHING THE OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY FROM THE INSIDE

Imagine all the people. Somewhere near the end of the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, John Lennon's legendary tune rung out around the cavernous Games stadium. The song could hardly have been more apt. Because for the limited number granted access, imagining all the people was exactly what we were doing. One of the world's biggest spectacles, the opening ceremony of an Olympic Games, taking place in an epic yet all but empty arena. Many of the essential elements remained. Booming fireworks, elaborate light shows, colourful performance routines painstakingly perfected for this once in every four years occasion. But for those at the centre of the occasion, and the Games itself, the absence of fans must've been just as weird as it was for the thousand or so media and officials scattered about the 68,000-capacity stadium. [caption id="attachment_12622" align="aligncenter" width="909"] Dancers during the opening ceremony Photo: PHOTOSPORT[/caption] While the dancers did their best to create a festive atmosphere, without the encouragement of screaming supporters, even they seemed to fade at points during the marathon that is the parade of 206 Olympic teams. Those watching on TV would've also seen the athletes waving into a void. Some of those waves accompanied by a curious gaze into the stands, even if finding a pair of eyes to meet them back would've been like finding a needle in a haystack. The New Zealand team's entrance further emphasised this wasn't your typical opening ceremony. [caption id="attachment_12623" align="aligncenter" width="911"] David Nyika and Sarah Hirini carry the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: PHOTOSPORT[/caption] Just nine Kiwi athletes participated in the parade, out of a team of 211. The small contingent even outnumbered by the New Zealand media granted a seat for the event. With those attending asked to refrain from shouting or cheering as part of Covid protocol, any support for the athletes was limited to claps quickly swallowed up by the empty stadium. The athletes still did their best to be as enthusiastic as ever. But rather than hang around for the rest of the show after their on-screen moment, many settled for a quick selfie before quickly exiting a field full of bubble breaking potential. It's not to say it won't be a moment they remember forever. This Olympic Ceremony was a first, and will hopefully be a last. Those selfies will forever be souvenirs of a unique experience. An experience which felt like being at a dress rehearsal, and was exactly that for a Games where fans will continue to be left outside the gates. SOURCE: RNZ NEWS

Published on July 24, 2021

https://pnghausbung.com/57-new-covid-19-cases-reported-for-png/

Published on July 23, 2021

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