Support continues for Lae tennis juniors PNG Air again provided airfares for youngsters from the Lae Tennis Club so they could travel to Port Moresby to compete in the 2024 PNG Junior Tennis Championships from February 24 to 26. Five of the 12 juniors in the team scored medals, while three qualified to represent PNG in the West Pacific Regional Championships in Lautoka, Fiji, from April 1 to 6 – John Louie Domalaon (16/U Boys), and siblings William (14/U Boys) and Cassandra Thomas (12/U Girls). It was the second West Pacific champs for both John Louie and Cassandra who competed in last year’s event in Vanuatu, with both then qualifying to represent West Pacific at the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Fiji. It is a great credit to both to be selected in back-to-back years to represent PNG in their respective age groups, with the added excitement this year that Cassandra’s older brother William also competed for the first time. In a further proud moment for the club, Cassandra will again represent West Pacific in the 12/U Girls Team at the 2024 Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Fiji this July, one of eight PNG juniors to qualify, the others all based in Port Moresby. The
ABOVE: Trophy winning Lae juniors (from left) siblings Stacy and William Thomas, John Louie Domalaon, Macklyn Meninga and Bianca Bacani.
Lae’s Roberta Mark on the first day of the PNG Junior Tennis Championships
Excited Lae junior Cassandra Thomas with club official Kila Jose, bound for POM where the 11-year-old was selected for the PNG junior squad to compete in Fiji
juniors who travelled to POM in February included the team’s youngest player, seven-year-old O’niell Meninga, competing in his first championship alongside his older sister Macklyn. The siblings are from Mendi (Southern Highlands) and are being raised by their late mother’s parents, who live on the grounds of the Lae Chinese Club as grandfather Mek is the club caretaker. The close proximity to the Lae Tennis Club, which
is also based at the site, has given the children valuable exposure to coaching opportunities and Macklyn gained a 3rd in the 10/U Mixed Singles at the championships in POM. Other juniors to receive Champion 14/U Boys Doubles (with Thomas Hyun from POM), 3rd 14/U Boys Singles; John Louie Domalaon – 2nd 16/U Boys Singles; Stacy Thomas –Special Award for Sportsmanship 16/U; awards included: William Thomas –
Bianca Bacani – 2nd 18/U & 16/U Mixed Doubles (with Chris Kaiulo from POM), Special Award for Sportsmanship 18/U. This was the second time for LTC to send juniors to this national tournament, with a bigger team than last year’s eight juniors. However this year’s competition was a lot more challenging with the inclusion of talented players from Australia and Sri Lanka. LTC continues to promote and grow
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