Athletics PNG has released its 2020/2021 Calendar of Events with the focus this year very much on its domestic programme in preparation for next year’s Oceania Championships in Port Vila (May) and the Pacific Mini Games in Saipan in June. Click here for the calendar.
With the deferral of the PNG Games to 2021 Athletics PNG has scheduled this year’s National Championships for September rather than June in order to avoid too long a gap between this Championship and the Pacific Mini Games. Due to the need to select teams two to three months ahead of the Games, the National Championship will be a key consideration in the selection process, as will performance in selection trials early in 2021.
A fourth PNG Air sponsored Regional Championships has been scheduled this year, subject to the confirmation of a venue in Madang ,with the Momase Championships being separated from the Highlands Championships. Hence this year will see the Highlands event in June, Momase and NGI in July and the Southern Region Championships in Port Moresby ahead of the National Championships in Port Moresby in September. The only overseas event being targeted this year is the Melanesian Championships which will be in Lautoka, Fiji in June. A team of approximately ten developing athletes who have shown the potential to make the National team will be selected based on 2019 competition results . and subject to the athletes maintaining a strong training commitment this year.
Provincial Associations are urged to contact APNG as soon as possible if they have any outstanding candidates for whom results may have not reached APNG, or if the results of any of their competitions have not been submitted. APNG will also give the opportunity to established members of the National Team to attend the Melanesian Championships at their own cost. Details of this arrangement are expected to be available by the middle of march.
A welcolm addition to the 2020 Calendar is a Full Marathon (42km) to be held in Port Moresby on 26 July along with half marathon and 10km races. These events are the initiative of Port Moresby Road Runners and the Marathon is targeting overseas entrants. There are enthusiasts around the world who want to run marathons in as many different countries as they can, and many recreational runners looking for a different experience and these are the type of entrants being targeted by the organisers. It is understood that two Germans and Two Americans have already signed up for the Port Moresby Marathon.
The staging of the World Cross Country Championships in Australia next year is a great opportunity for the smaller countries in the Region including PNG to participate in this world championship event, which is normally held in Europe. The 2021 edition will be held in Bathurst NSW in March and presents a once in a generation opportunity for PNG athletes to experience running with the best distance runners in the world. The full Athletics PNG Calendar for 2020/21 can be viewed on the APNG website and facebook page.
Athletics PNG is also planning to stage its Fundamentals of Athletics Coaching Course in Kokopo from July 8 to 10, ahead of the NGI Championships; and in Port Moresby during the week after the National Championships. The Course was developed in 2018 and first delivered at NSI in Goroka in January 2019. A Sports Administration Course will also be staged in Port Moresby during that same week and will be targeted at individuals organising athletic events for affiliated member associations.
Last Modified on 28/02/2020 10:02