Athletes at Gaps program

Papua New Guinea made its mark on the international stage with eight athletes and officials taking part in the Oceania GAPS camp on Australia’s Gold Coast from September 14–20.

Among them were some of the country’s top names in athletics, including javelin record holder Lakona Gerega, sprinters Patricia Kuku and Joy Tieba, and para-athletes Jerome Bunge, Regina Edward, and Steven Abraham.

The GAPS Program, supported by the Australian government through the Pacific Aus Program, is an initiative aimed at developing emerging athletes and coaches by providing access to high-performance expertise that is unavailable in their home countries.

The Oceania GAPS Camp brought together 70 athletes and coaches from 10 Commonwealth nations, including Papua New Guinea, to prepare for upcoming international competitions.

Delivered by Commonwealth Sport in partnership with Griffith University and supported by the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports, the program promotes inclusion and diversity, with a strong focus on creating opportunities for women and para-athletes.

“I’m looking forward to the competitions at the end of the camp to see our performance and what we need to work on for our qualifying competition for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2026”, says PNG para-athlete Regina Edward.

Deputy Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Adrian Lochrin, said, “Australia is proud to support the elite development of PNG and Pacific athletes.

"The GAPS program is a great initiative in providing world-class high-performance training for the athletes," he added.

The program also fosters stronger people-to-people connections across PNG and the Pacific with Australia."

"GAPS plays a vital role in preparing athletes and coaches, both able-bodied and those in para sport, for elite competition, strengthening pathways for Pacific participants in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”