Papua New Guinea athlete Tony Mitu Jnr will become the second athlete to represent the country internationally in the sport of Wushu.
Tony departed the country on Thursday alongside team leader Iammo Launa, to compete at the Oceania Wushu Invitational Championships in Brisbane, where he will contest the men’s 70kg Sanda division.
The championships, hosted by Kung Fu Wushu Australia, run from May 21 to 25, and are supported by the Oceania Kung Fu Wushu Federation and the International Wushu Federation.
For the Bougainville-born athlete, the tournament is significant as it will be both his first international trip and his first appearance representing PNG on the international stage.
Coach Andrew Molen praised Tony’s commitment and discipline during preparations.
“In fact, he turned up at training on his birthday two weeks ago and said, ‘bihain ok yumi hamamas’ (we will celebrate later).”
“It takes a lot of discipline and focus, and I’m pleased with his dedication and his trust in me to prepare him,” Molen said.
Molen also noted that Tony worked hard to manage his weight in order to qualify for the 70kg category.
Tony’s martial arts background is in the Shotokan Karate, where he trains under Julius Piku Sensei at the East Gate Karate Academy.
He has competed nationally in sport karate point-style competitions and has experience sparring under full-contact rules.
He was previously part of Team PNG’s karate train-on squad for the 2023 Pacific Games but missed selection after the team was dropped for failing to meet certain requirements.
Since then, he has been identified by the Kung Fu Wushu Association of PNG as a promising athlete for Sanda competition.
Molen acknowledged Julius Piku Sensei for supporting Tony’s transition into Wushu competition.
“Tony remains a karate student regardless of which combat sport he competes in. His participation brings much pride to his club and his teacher.”
Meanwhile, President of the association, Geoff Hui, said the organization was proud to have PNG represented at the regional championships.
“We are looking forward to seeing Tony compete, and at the same time we aim to strengthen our connection with the Wushu community in Australia and Oceania.”
The association has been working closely with regional and global counterparts to promote the sport in the region, with PNG being one of the Oceania countries targeted for Wushu development.
Team leader Iammo Launa said the sport could develop further in the country with continued support from international partners and stakeholders.
He said the championships would not only provide exposure for athletes but also create opportunities for discussions among sports administrators to strengthen the development of Wushu across the region.
The association also acknowledged the support of High-Performance Sport PNG for assisting Tony with training facilities, recovery, and physiotherapy sessions ahead of the tournament.
