Truely Papua New Guinean

I wrote this poem some years ago when Ryan Pini won a gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. It is titled 'Truly Papua New Guinean'





Truly Papua New Guinean

Truly Papua New Guinean
Was our joy for you
That night when we danced for you
And how you lifted our hearts
And united every man

Truly Papua New Guinean
Was the way you won
In a sport you loved
And how you celebrated
With your countrymen

Truly Papua New Guinean
Was the courage you showed us
Amid the swimming giants
That dreams do come true
Only if we worked hard

Truly Papua New Guinean
Will your name always be
In every home
On every lips
That we won at the Games

Truly Papua New Guinean
You are, Ryan Pini.


At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Pini became the just the second individual from Papua New Guinea to win an individual gold medal at Commonwealth Games, when he won the Men's 100 m Butterfly beating Austrlia's Micheal Klim and New Zealands Moss Burmester. The first Gold medal won was by Geua Tau in Lawn Bowls in the 1990 Commonwealth Games.