Sports news in brief for April 21

Solomons send lifters to Australia

Solomon Islands 'Team Weightlifting' athletes are in Australia to compete at the three-day Australia Junior Under-23 tournament in Townsville.

The Solomon Islands National Institute of Sports (SINUS) said the lifters will use the event as a build up to the 2023 Honiara Games.

Lifter who are in the team are Penuel Wate, Phillip Masi, Robert Lafisi Hudson, George Sunga Atu, Rowena Eddie Donga, Lorah Maelosia, Betty Waneasi and Shirmara Wini.

They are being led by coach and former national weightlifting representative, Wendy Hale.

SINIS performance manager for combat and weight sports Moses Aunama Jnr said gaining experience is priority for the team.

Pepes eye better results

The Papua New Guinea Pepes are focusd on doing better than last year when they compete at the PacificAus Sports Netball Series at the Gold Coast next week.

Pepes assistant coach Margaret Opina told The National in Port Moresby that the team were hopeful to get better results amidst the level of competition they were expected to face.

"We have prepared well with half of the team from PNG, while the other half are based in Gold Coast, Australia," Opina said.

"It is going to be a tough competition as it is our third time to participate in the PacificAus Series and we are hopeful that the girls will do their best."

Opina said this tournament would be a test for some of their new players.

'Solo' visit schools

The 2023 Pacific Games Organising Committee (GOC) and 'SOLO' the Games Mascot, have held school visits in Honiara, advocating for and providing awareness on the 'Games Volunteer' programme, this week.

The awareness programs were aimed to help students better understand the roles, benefits and opportunities that becoming a volunteer at this year's Games.

Games Committee communications coordinator Jeremy Inifiri said the visits were held to share Games volunteer awareness and give schools the opportunity to meet Solo.

"Some schools never had the opportunity to meet Solo during its nationwide mascot tour last year and early this year. They now have that opportunity," he said.

"Straight after each program we have had students come up asking for volunteer brochures and application forms. There is great interest for volunteering shown by students from both schools visited this week.

Meanwhile, the Pacific Games Volunteer Programme is generating much interest both in Honiara and in provinces throughout Solomon Islands.

More than 300 people have applied to be volunteers since April 15.

"We have received a total 373 registered applications, with many more interested persons coming in to collect application forms at our office every day. We are expecting that number to increase by the end of the week," GOC Workforce Manager, Reenah Numaralai confirmed.

Volunteers will work in roles relating to accommodation, accreditation, Anti-Doping, athletes village, broadcast, catering, ceremonies and culture, logistics, press operations and media, spectator services, sports, team support, technology, ticketing, transport, venue operations, VIP & Protocol and Volunteer Services.

Pacific match official for FIFA U20 World Cup

Two Pacific island referees assistants have been named by the FIFA Referees Committee panel of referees for the FIFA U20 World Cup Argentina 2023.

Assistant referees Bernard Mutukera (Solomon Islands) and Folio Moeaki (Tonga) have been named in the panel of 25 referees and 38 assistant referees for the event.

Oceania Football said in a statement that, 18 video match officials have also been appointed for this tournament.

New Zealand referee Campell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh was selected from Oceania.

Overseen by the FIFA Refereeing Subdivision, the officials' preparations for this important youth competition will focus on a wide range of topics, such as their reading and understanding of the game, teamwork, and the importance of obtaining the best position or angle - being in the right place at the right time - to make the correct decision.

The selected match officials will participate a few days before the tournament kicks off in a final preparation seminar, reviewing and analysing video clips of real-match situations, and taking part in practical training sessions with players, which will be filmed to enable participants to receive instant feedback from the instructors.

The FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023 will take place between May 20 and June 11.

Fiji is the lone Pacific Islands team that has qualified for the event.

The draw to determine who plays whom in the group stage will take place on 21 April 2023 in Zurich.

Disability sports officials commend commend Games plans

The Oceania Paralympic Committee has commended the 2023 Pacific Games Organising Committee plans to make the upcoming event more accessible and inclusive for disabled athletes.

"Today we heard the news from the Soloman Islands Government who have committed $US363,000 funding to make the upcoming 2023 Pacific Games more accessible and inclusive for disabled athletes," Paul Bird, Oceania Paralympic Committee President said in Brisbane, Australia.

Bird was amongst representatives from National Paralympic Committees from across Oceania who met in Brisbane to discuss the future of Para sport in the Oceania region.

Representatives from Soloman Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Australia and New Zealand, were abl;e to discuss opportunities on how Para sport delivery can be improved within the region.

The vision of the Oceania Paralympic Committee is to "create a more inclusive Oceania region through Para sport, where no one is left behind".

"Hearing of this new investment into the Pacific Games shows how the Soloman Islands are serious about considering the needs of disabled athletes. The timing of this announcement aligns with what we have been talking about this week," Bird said.

New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni made the announcement of her country's funding towards the Games supporting the participation of athletes living with disabilities.