Rarua Dikana leads his country out at the opening ceremony
Current SP PNG Sportsman of the Year and Hebou Barramundi's Captain Rarua Dikana was perhaps the proudest man at the Opening Ceremony of the 2011 Arafura Games after being surprised and elated by the news that he had been selected as PNG's flag bearer for the march into the Opening ceremony.
"I have been representing our country for many years now and been to many places but to have this honour is definitely something that I will cherish for the rest of my life," said Dikana (33) who has been captain of Cricket PNG's National Team the Hebou Barramundi's since 2002.
"To walk into a stadium with around 4,000 athletes all here to compete for personnal bests, gold medals and the honour of being part of an International event was amazing," he said. "When I think that on Thursday I was told that the Cricket Team had been dropped from the NCD group, I really am so appreciative that Graham Osborne (Chairman) and Iammo Launa (Executive Director PNG Sports Foundation) found a way to save the Cricket Team and also to Air Niugini and Hebou who lent support to find a way for us to compete as Cricket PNG Hebou Hammer in the Arafura games."
Cricket PNG has done an amazing job to create opportunity for young players at this event.
"On Thursday I saw how professional our Organisation was when they managed to completely rebuild our opportunity to compete after we were dumped by NCDC management at 9pm on Wednesday night," said Dikana.
PNG have selected some young up and coming talent who Dikana predicts hold the key to their national sides future.
"We are here to turn heads and showcase the future of Cricket in PNG," he said.
"Once again I want to say just how brilliant the opportunity to lead out my country was," said Dikana. "I want to thank everyone who gave me the opportunity to be here."
The Hebou Hammer take on Team Malaysia at 9.30am today(Monday) in their first T20 match and then the Australian National Defence Forces in the afternoon game.
"We expect to have two (2) wins up after Day 1" said Dikana.
"I have been representing our country for many years now and been to many places but to have this honour is definitely something that I will cherish for the rest of my life," said Dikana (33) who has been captain of Cricket PNG's National Team the Hebou Barramundi's since 2002.
"To walk into a stadium with around 4,000 athletes all here to compete for personnal bests, gold medals and the honour of being part of an International event was amazing," he said. "When I think that on Thursday I was told that the Cricket Team had been dropped from the NCD group, I really am so appreciative that Graham Osborne (Chairman) and Iammo Launa (Executive Director PNG Sports Foundation) found a way to save the Cricket Team and also to Air Niugini and Hebou who lent support to find a way for us to compete as Cricket PNG Hebou Hammer in the Arafura games."
Cricket PNG has done an amazing job to create opportunity for young players at this event.
"On Thursday I saw how professional our Organisation was when they managed to completely rebuild our opportunity to compete after we were dumped by NCDC management at 9pm on Wednesday night," said Dikana.
PNG have selected some young up and coming talent who Dikana predicts hold the key to their national sides future.
"We are here to turn heads and showcase the future of Cricket in PNG," he said.
"Once again I want to say just how brilliant the opportunity to lead out my country was," said Dikana. "I want to thank everyone who gave me the opportunity to be here."
The Hebou Hammer take on Team Malaysia at 9.30am today(Monday) in their first T20 match and then the Australian National Defence Forces in the afternoon game.
"We expect to have two (2) wins up after Day 1" said Dikana.
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