Monthly Archives: February 2026

PNG NSI SIGN UP NEW EXCITING TALENTS

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GOROKA: The PNG National Sports Institute under its Athlete Development Program (ADP) has signed up five new emerging talents.

Group photo of the 2026 ADP Cohort after the contract signing program.

The talents were identified during the Athletics PNG Inc. 2025 64th National Track & Field Championships hosted at the PNG NSI, Goroka. The rising talents join eight other continuing athletes in the program.

Headlining the new signings are Autonomous Region of Bougainville’s Abigail Kinna and East Sepik’s Hans Dani both making the Sprints team for ADP.

AROB’s Abigail Kinna watches proceedings with continuing ADP talent Marykate Pais.

The other new exciting talents are Thomas Emmanuel, Helena Sigamai and Spencer Pombo from Goroka.

The trio were identified from the Eastern Highlands Province Primary Schools Sports Program (PSSP) in 2025 – a program hosted by NSI to nurture talent through partnerships with schools. The three progressed from the PSSP to the Highlands Open Championships and further solidified their performance at the National Championships.

The signing event hosted last month reaffirmed PNG NSI’s commitment to building a strong, disciplined, and academically grounded generation of future champions.

PNG NSI Director Ms. Janet Gimots congratulated the parents and guardians of the selected athletes, acknowledging the crucial role families play in shaping young sports people.

She encouraged them to continue supporting their children throughout their scholarship period, noting that success in high‑performance sport requires a strong partnership between home and the institute.

Ms. Gimots also emphasized that the ADP Program is built on a holistic development philosophy. “Our focus is not only on sporting excellence,” she said. “We expect our athletes to uphold strong academic standards as well. The ADP Program is designed to develop well‑rounded young Papua New Guineans who excel both on the field and in the classroom.”

PNG NSI Director Ms. Janet Gimots addressing the athletes and parents during their contract signing last week.

ADP Program Values

The PNG NSI ADP Program is guided by a set of core values that shape every athlete’s journey:

  • Discipline – Commitment to training, personal conduct, and academic responsibility.
  • Respect – For coaches, teammates, opponents, and the learning environment.
  • Integrity – Upholding honesty, fairness, and accountability in all actions.
  • Excellence – Striving for high performance in sport and education.
  • Teamwork – Working collaboratively and supporting one another’s growth.
  • Humility – Being humble, understanding your strengths & weaknesses without need to proving superiority.
  • Resilience – Overcoming challenges with determination and a positive mindset.

These values form the foundation of the program’s approach to athlete development, ensuring that each participant grows not only as a competitor but as a responsible and capable young leader.

With the 2026 intake now confirmed, PNG NSI looks forward to a year of structured training, academic support, and personal growth as it continues to strengthen Papua New Guinea’s high‑performance pathway.

The eight continuing athletes are: Damien Kote, Bradford Holie, Danny Warkit, Nathan Kawona, Japhet Wilson, Merna Martins, Marykate Pais, Kerame Tamara Baru.

The five new talents are: Helena Sigamai (Goroka), Spencer Pombo (Goroka), Thomas Emmanuel (Goroka), Hans Dani (East Sepik) and Abigail Kinna (AROB).

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NSI DIRECTOR HAILS SUCCESSFUL HOSTING OF HUNTERS – JETS TRIAL MATCH

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Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province:

Director of the PNG National Sports Institute in Goroka Ms. Janet Gimots has praised the successful staging of the SP PNG Hunters and Ipswich Jets trial match on Sunday, 22 February.

Former NRL Manly Warringah Sea Eagles star Moses Mbye taking a selfie with his fans at PNG NSI after the trial match.

Ipswich Jets skipper Blake Lenehen donning a locally made floral wreath passed to him by a fan

“Our venue had a capacity of 5000. There were still more fans who couldn’t get in because we had already reached full capacity even before the match started. “We also had comments from various people from the Hunters Management who were very appreciative of how we managed the event.” Gimots said.
 

She said preparations for the event began a few weeks ahead and staff were on their toes over the past few days to help deliver the event as professionally as we could.

“We have hosted a few international and regional events in our recent and past history and yesterday, we showed again that our venue has the capacity to host more events,” Gimots said.

The Director said the success of the Hunters–Jets trial match strengthens NSI’s case for hosting more regional and international sporting events.

“We have shown that Goroka is not only capable but also eager to welcome elite teams,” she said. “This event opens the door for deeper partnerships with national federations, international clubs, and development programs across the Pacific.”

Ms. Gimots extended her appreciation to the Bintangor Goroka Lahanis Management, EHP Governor’s Office, K92 Mining, SP Brewery, SP PNG Hunters, Security partners (Police, Correctional Services, Defence Force and Black Swan) and the people of Goroka for contributing to a safe and memorable event.

Local boy & PNG NRL Bid Goroka talent Hercules Kondo made his debut for the SP PNG Hunters during the trial match against the Ipswich Jets

PNG Hunters electric fullback Sani Wabo posing for a photo with his fans at PNG NSI.

She thanked the EHP Governor Hon. Simon Sia for facilitating and funding the upgrade of the venue which enables such major events to be hosted and enjoyed by everyone in the Highlands region.

“The event would not have been a success without the major stakeholders. The energy from the crowd was incredible. Our people showed that they are ready to embrace more events of this scale.
“It also was very exciting to see Jets players mingling with the locals,”
“This match united our communities and reminded us of the important role sport plays in strengthening provincial & national identity.”

“Everyone played their part. The success of this match belongs to all of us,” she said. “We look forward to building on this momentum and welcoming more major events to NSI.”