Post Courier Father and daughter eye the Pacific Games

BY DAVID SUSUVE

Haoda Agari and her 16-year-old daughter Tammy have already set their sights on representing Papua New Guinea together at the 2023 Pacific Games in the family sport of table tennis.

This goal has been reinforced by Tammy’s recent achievement of competing in her first Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England last year.

The Butuka Primary School student is the first in his family to reach the Commonwealth Games level and this achievement alone has set a high bar for all their family members in the sport.

This is a proud achievement for our family, especially since our own 16-year-old daughter is doing well on the world stage, Haoda said.

Tammy started playing table tennis four years ago after being inspired by her father, who won a paramedic bronze medal at the 2017 Mini Pacific Games in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

He is a very talented player who loves to listen to all the advice we give him.

We believe he will achieve great things in the international arena in the near future.

Haoda said her daughter’s achievement has inspired her to try another shot as she joins her to qualify for the Honiara Games.

I think it’s more of a father-daughter competition now.

We have both set our goals and preparations for 2023 and Tammy has also set her dream to represent PNG at the 2024 Paris Olympics,” Haoda said.

Representing PNG alongside my daughter is a milestone achievement and a memorable end to my career.

The family from the village of Tubusereia in the Central Province has been playing the sport for a few years now and loving every moment of it.