BY ROMULUS HUTA

MEDAL hopeful Jenlyn Wini will be the country’s official flag bearer for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games next month.

Wini has been elected for the role during a ‘One Team Solomon’ meeting held at the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) conference room yesterday afternoon.

Members of Solomon Islands contingent for Gold Coast took part in the secret-ballot voting which saw other three nominees contesting alongside Wini.

They were female distance runner Sharon Firisua, weightlifter David Gorosi and 17 year old female swimmer Angella Charles.

In a close contested voting, Wini polled a total of six votes ahead of Firisua who got four votes. Gorosi and Charles received three votes each.

NOCSI President Martin Rara congratulated Wini and thanked the nominees who ran for the flag-bearer’s role.

Rara said Wini will share her responsibility with second-placed Firisua.

“Wini will carry flag during the opening ceremony while Firisua will be given the opportunity for the closing ceremony.”

Rara explained that Wini deserves the role based on her record of performance, admitting it as a right choice.

“Being a flag bearer is a honourable thing for an athlete as it comes with a lot of responsibility.

“That will go down into the history of Jenlyn as an athlete,” he said.

This will be the fifth time that Wini will shoulder the role as the flag bearer.

She was also the flag bearer during the London 2012 Olympic Games, Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the Port Moresby 2015 Pacific Games.

Solomon Islands have competed at eight Commonwealth Games, making a first-time appearance at the 1982 edition hosted in Brisbane, Australia.

While the country did not send a team to the 1986 event, Solomon Islands have appeared at every Games since 1990.

Looking through the archives, no athlete from the Solomon Islands has ever won a Commonwealth medal.

Rara added that Wini is the country’s medal hopeful in Gold Coast.

“Being the current commonwealth champions in the women’s 58kg category, she stands a good chance of winning a medal at the Games.

“If she gets one, this could go down as a history for Solomon Islands. We have never won a medal in the Commonwealth Games.”

Wini and fellow country team mate Mary Lifu Kini are currently training at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute based in Noumea, New Caledonia.

The duo will join the rest of the Solomon Islands Contingent in Australia ahead of the games’ kick off on April 4.

BY ROMULUS HUTA

THE Solomon Islands Swimming Federation (SISF) received new training gears yesterday.

The gears were donated by Okinawa Prefecture Swimming Federation from Japan.

The assistance was part of the relationship the swimming federation and the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) has with Okinawa Prefecture Swimming.

Facilitated through a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) volunteer serving here as a teacher at Burns Creek School, Sho Yonahara, the assistance will help address the lack of proper training gear by the national swimming federation.

“I think swimmers here will be very pleased to receive the assistance.

“The assistance came about because the federation here really needs them.

“This is a new sport here and it needs more support,” Yonahara said.

As part of the relationship between the swimming federation and the NOCSI has with Okinawa Prefecture Swimming, last year three local swimmers also spent two weeks in Japan training under professional coaches.

The training in Japan was met by the Japanese Olympic Committee and it is part of the preparation toward the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

First ever allowance for ‘One Team Solomon’ members

BY ROMULUS HUTA

MEMBERS of ‘One Team Solomon’ to next month’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games will receive allowances totaling up to more than $50,000.

‘One Team Solomon’ Chef de Mission (CdM) Michael Chan confirmed that all athletes and officials will each receive equal amounts of $2,285.47 for their participation in the Games.

In a briefing for the Solomon Islands contingent yesterday at the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) conference room, Mr Chan said this is first time ever for athletes and officials to be given such a treatment by the national governing Olympic body.

In the past, nothing like that has ever happened, especially to have come from NOCSI, according to Chan.

“Players often receive allowances in past trips but that don’t actually come from NOCSI but they are given by their various respective national federations,” he said.

A total of 14 athletes across five sports and 11 officials will represent Solomon Islands in the Games.

The five sports are athletics (four athletes), boxing (one athlete), table tennis (two athletes), swimming (two athletes) and weightlifting (three athletes).

Chan said each athlete and official will receive $500 of their allocated allowances a day or two prior to their departure for Australia on Sunday.

The remaining $1,785.47 (converted to Australian Dollar – AUD$300) will be paid out upon arrival in Gold Coast.

“The amounts could be small. But I must urge athletes and officials to appreciate the commitment shown by the team management.

“The $500 that will be given prior to departure is to ensure team members meet immediate needs before leaving for Australia.

“Some might want to use that money to give to their families before leaving. That serves one of the purposes of the first part to be paid out prior to departure.

“One Team Solomon members are our ambassadors to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and they deserve something in that regard,” Chan explained.

“Athletes might want to purchase souvenirs for their loved ones or family members back home upon their return from the Games.

“As a sport official since the past two decades, it is heartening to see athletes went to take part in overseas games and competitions with nothing in their pockets. As I reflected back, it’s a sad thing but that’s the sad truth.

“We hope the small amount of allowances which will be paid to athletes will make some difference,” he expressed.

As the Chef de Mission for Gold Coast, Chan stressed that one of his aims is to make ‘One Team Solomon’ operate on a new standard.

“It’s a standard which aims to motivate our athletes to perform to their best in international outings.”

The money that will be used to source the allowances is part of the $70,000 donated by South Pacific Oil yesterday, unveiling the locally-owned oil company as ‘One Team Solomon’ official sponsor for Gold Coast 2018.

South Pacific Oil Chief Executive Carson Korawa handed over the donation to Chan, witnessed by athletes and officials in a ceremony at the NOCSI office.

With the allowances totaling more than $50,000, the remaining part of that donated funds will be used to meet other necessities during the course of the Games in Gold Coast.

“The remaining part of the money is to cater for emergency and miscellaneous expenses while in Australia. Some will also go toward sporting equipment purchase for the athletes’ competitions.”

Chan assured members of the general public that the money given is being put to good use for the sake of the athletes’ welfare at the games.

“We will make sure that the spending of the donated funds is done in a transparent manner.”

The Solomon Islands contingent will leave for Gold Coast Sunday afternoon.

The Games will run from April 4 to 15.