By DALCY LULUA
A total of 261 nominations were received for the 2026 SP Sports Awards, with 33 finalists selected across multiple categories, showcasing Papua New Guinea’s top sporting talent and contributors.
Chairman of the selection panel Warwick Vele said narrowing down the finalists was highly challenging due to the strong quality and volume of nominations. He noted that athletes, teams, coaches, officials, and volunteers from both domestic and international competitions were considered.
“Unfortunately, we can only select three finalists per category, and many worthy candidates could not be included,” Vele said, adding that the panel is exploring ways to better recognise wider contributions in future editions.
Major Award Categories and Finalists
Male Athlete of the Year
- Timothy Tove Tuna (athletics)
- Pais Wisil (athletics)
- Morea Baru (weightlifting)
Female Athlete of the Year
- Dika Toua (weightlifting)
- Adrine Monagi (athletics)
- Ramona Padio (soccer)
Team of the Year
- PNG Bilums (soccer)
- PNG Lewas (cricket)
- PNG Amoa (volleyball)
National Performance of the Year
- On Track Tribes Touch Footy Club
- Gulf Komara FC (soccer)
- Sparrows Netball Club
Community Sports Initiative
- Pilai Senis AFL
- Jonah Kautu Academy (rugby)
- Sugu Peace Basketball
Junior Male Athlete of the Year
- Lawrence Reva Oala (weightlifting)
- Leo Aisi (volleyball)
- River-Jordan Hakena (tennis)
Junior Female Athlete of the Year
- Jhaynali Tokome-Garap (swimming)
- Ani Geua Gavera (weightlifting)
- Timonaliz Alarcos Kriebisch (squash)
Para-Athlete of the Year
- Morea Mararos (shot put)
- Jerome Bunge (athletics)
Sports Official of the Year
- Dorna Longbut (athletics and badminton)
- Mark Keto (boxing)
- Willie Mavara Tamasi (weightlifting)
- Nelson Stone (multi-sport)
Sports Media of the Year
- Jamie Haro (freelance)
- Isaac Liri (NBC)
- Terry Longbut (TVWan)
Sports Photo of the Year
- Gairo Varo & Mum-Gima Ila
- Michael Tamty Pias (TVWan)-rugby league image
- Simon Keslep (Post Courier)-softball image
People’s Choice Award
Public voting is now open for the People’s Choice Award, the 12th category. Voting will be conducted via SMS and WhatsApp, with the winner determined by the highest number of votes.
Eligible finalists are drawn from the Male Athlete, Female Athlete, Team of the Year, and National Performance of the Year categories.
The 2026 SP Sports Awards Presentation Night will be held on Saturday, 30th May, 2026 at the Crown Hotel in Port Moresby.