Oil Search Pacific Games Relay in Kiunga, Western Province

The Oil Search Pacific Games Relay travelled145 kilometres down the Star Mountains to Kiunga.

OTML had arranged a number of stops at road side markets and schools along the way and the team also took the chance to join the daily OTML convoys that travel up and down the highway with all the cargo for Tabubil.

At Kwiloknai Primary School the headmaster, Jonathan told his students of the privilege to be part of the Relay as they got to share the Baton experience just before morning roll call.

From there the team arrived at Ningerum where a very well organised Relay took place involving all people from the community, including students from the High School, mothers from the main market, the health clinic, the community pastor and even the wardens and inmates from the Ningerum Correctional Facility.

The school children all carried messages on homemade flags for members of team Papua New Guinea wishing them gold success.

A womens leader who ran in the Relay announced to the crowd “that in her 33 years living in Ningerum she had never seen anything like this Relay”.

The Relay then took a 40 minute run through the school, hospital and nurses training college at Rumnigae, as the kids were split into four coloured running teams to take the Baton.

With the road trip over, the team headed into Kiunga for the afternoon Relay around town. The Relay was started by former Papua New Guinean Olympian, Aaron Dupnai – marathon runner for team Papua New Guinea at 1988 Seoul Olympics.

The Relay finished with over 10,000 people gathered at the town oval as every bystander joined in the fun.

Tomorrow the Relay heads down the Fly River to the villages of Suki and Aimbak before reaching Daru, its last stop in Western Province.

 

Photo credit: madNess Photography