PNG’s female flagbearer Georgia-Leigh Vele’s Olympic Dream Realized at Paris 2024
Georgia-Leigh Vele, PNG’s female flagbearer at the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, recently rediscovered a journal from her childhood. At just 8 years old, she had penned her aspiration to become an Olympian and to win a medal, though it did not have to be gold. On August 3, 2024, Vele’s childhood dream came true at the Paris La Defense Arena.
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| PNG’s female flagbearer Georgia-Leigh Vele’s Olympic Dream Realized at Paris 2024 [Photo by Team PNG] |
Although she did not advance to the semi-finals or secure a medal, Vele's achievement of becoming an Olympian was realized with a commendable performance. She finished 4th in her heat of the 50m women’s freestyle with a time of 27.61 seconds, narrowly missing out on a spot in the semi-finals. The top three spots were taken by Montenegro’s KULJACA (27.19), Eritrea’s RACH (27.20), and St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ GREENE (27.23).
Vele expressed her emotions after the race, stating, “It felt like such a whirlwind, like in a matter of seconds it had come and gone. It hadn’t sunk in until about an hour later, what I had just done, but I just felt so proud of myself and what I had accomplished. Dreams, goals, and prayers had all come to fruition.”
Swimming Coach Rick Van Der Zant congratulated Vele on her performance and courage, expressing pride in her as a dedicated member of the PNG swim team. Van Der Zant praised Vele’s love for her sport and her country, acknowledging her significant contributions.
Ryan Pini, Chef de Mission of Team PNG, commended Vele’s performance, stating, “Georgia-Leigh’s performance in the 50m Freestyle at the Paris 2024 Olympics was outstanding. Her journey from an 8-year-old with a dream to an Olympian is nothing short of inspirational. Her dedication and passion for swimming and her efforts to support younger swimmers in Papua New Guinea reflect the power of perseverance and support. Congratulations, Georgia-Leigh—you have made us all incredibly proud.”
Looking ahead, Team PNG is gearing up for Morea Baru’s competition in the Men’s 61kg Weightlifting event on August 7 at 3pm local time (11:00pm PNG time). Upcoming events also include Taekwondo athletes Kevin Kassman in the -68kg division on August 8 and Gibson Mara in the +80kg division on August 10.
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