PNG SMACKING PROUD

Headlines from today's national newspaper, the Post Courier.

WOW!! Yesterday was a HUGE day for me ... and an even HUGER one for PNG - at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, our Ryan Pini beat Michael Klim and every other competitor to take home GOLD in the 100m Butterfly in the swimming pool - possibly the toughest arena to wrench away a medal from an Aussie. GO RYAN!! I think the roar could be heard across the country - our first gold of the games and the first in the pool EVER!!

WAHEY!! What a well-deserved coup. We love you Ryan!!

Not only that - we had a true national hero born yesterday when our champion weightlifter Dika Toua made PNG proud after she won a silver in her 53kg division. The pocket dynamo showed a gutsy effort to continue despite a painful toe injury (xrays show it was broken!!) and in doing so won many hearts at the Games because of her national pride - a 40 year veteran in the sport said he had never seen anything like it - for someone to come back and persevere through such an injury. GO DIKA!!

So yeah - thanks to Dika and Ryan, we are now situated at 14 on the overall medal tally.

But I also wanted to mention an unsung hero - Sapolai Yao - running in the 5000m last night at the MCG. Mate - you did your country proud!! GO SAPOLAI!! We will never forget your guts and determination against the superstars in your sport. Keep running for PNG!