by Official delegates from the International Judo Federation (IJF) and Oceania Judo Union (OJU) are currently in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in efforts to promote the Japanese martial art under the “2015 Judo Journey through Oceania” campaign. PNG is one of four countries chosen including Australia, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, Post Courier (June 12, 2015) reports.
The delegates include President of OJU, Mr Lennie Niit, IJF Media and Judo for Peace Director, Mr Nicolas Messner and OJU Development Officer Ms Clare Hargrave.
The officials met with the PNG Olympic Committee Executive, Sport Minister and Sports Foundation Executives yesterday to establish a pathway for the development of the code in the country.
Judo is an Olympic sport and the program is supported by the Japanese Government through her embassy.
In 2012 lone PNG Judoka, Raymond Ovinou, qualified for the London Olympics after finishing third at the Oceania Judo Championships in Australia.
Judo has a long history in PNG with the earliest record of a club formed back in 1961 in Port Moresby. Charles Betteridge, who lived in the country from 1960 to 1990 shares that beautiful history here [click to read].
