Going

for Gold

GOING for Gold.

That’s the slogan Pa pua New Guinea is rallying behind as they aim to top the medal tally for the first time in the 28-year history of the South Pacific Games.

As host nation, PNG

is competing in all 18 sports with 422 competitors the largest contingent to the games. To prepare their teams they launched Operation Gold which gave many sports international competition and exposure. Their golfers have recendy returned from competing in Thailand and Singapore, their athletes have re ceived coaching from the Australian Institute of Sport and have had the services of a Canadian sports psychol ogist. Their basketball and boxing teams have invited tough opponents from abroad. Soccer, table tennis, rugby, and netball have all enjoyed trips overseas to gain experience.

The hosts are expected to do well in golf, bowling, cricket, tennis, boxing and squash and should pick-up medals in athletics. But New Caledonia and French Polynesia should grab the top spots with PNG and Fiji competing for third place.

Likely placings:

New Caledonia are again expected to dominate, followed by French Polynesia with Fiji and PNG tussling for third spot.

'Weightlifting: Western Samoa, American Samoa, French Polynesia. However, Nauru’s Commonwealth Games gold medal win ner Marcus Steven will dominate the 60kg category.

Soccer: French Polynesia, New Caledoinia, Fiji.

Rugby: Western Samoa should win an easy gold with the absence of Fiji and Tonga. The Cook Islands, a possible silver medalist, have withdrawn. Watch PNG.

Table tennis (men and women): French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Guam.

Board sailing: Fiji, New Caledonia, French Polynesia.

Hoble 16: New Caledonia, French Polynesia, PNG.

Softball: Guam, American Samoa with the bronze open to other sofball-playing countries.

Golf (men and women): PNG, American Samoa, Fiji.

Bowling: (men and women): Fiji, PNG, Cooks.

Swimming (men and women): French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Northern Marianas.

Basketball: Men: American Samoa, Guam, Fiji; Women: Fiji, American Samoa, Tahiti.

Cricket: PNG, Fiji, Tonga.

Tennis (men and women): New Caledonia, PNG, French Polynesia.

Squash (men and women): PNG, French Polynesia, Fiji.

Boxing: Western Samoa, Tonga, PNG.

Netball: Cooks, Western Samoa, Fiji.

Volleyball (men and women): Guam, French Polynesia, American Samoa. Q