[Mihalic] Disputed! Wahgi Besta

[John Burton]

Today's Post-Courier carries the article below, but I dispute! In the intro
blurb I wrote in 2000 (front page at
<http://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/PNG/MIHALIC/Index.htm>
http://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/PNG/MIHALIC/Index.htm), I said Wahgi
Besta referred to 'introduced carp infesting the Wahgi River'. This young
lady says it means sweet potato and greens. Oloman!
 
Any ideas?
John Burton
 
Post-Courier  10 March 2005

Rising star

'Kaukau kid' one of five bound for Brisbane on training stint 

KAUKAU na kumu em bun. Mipela save kolim Wahgi Besta!. (Sweet potato and
greens strengthen bones. We call it Wahgi Besta).
What more can you say. That's what village girl and the newest rising star
on the track, Toea Wisil grew up on - Highlands sweet potato and greens,
otherwise known as Wahgi Besta.
We cannot say whether her staple diet had contributed to her natural
strength, however, she had been described as a strong runner with a lot of
potential. 
National coach Naomi Polum and elite sprinter Mae Koime both described Wisil
as a naturally strong runner who would improve.
Seventeen-year-old Wisil - a Grade One drop-out from Konambil village, Banz
in the Western Highlands, was plucked out of obscurity at last year's Grass
Roots Games in Goroka.
She can be best described as one of those hidden talents who would not have
been identified if not for the Grass Roots Games.
Last year was a dream for the teenager who before then treasured every trip
to Mount Hagen town.
Within a year she has taken her first plunge on a domestic flight from Lae
to Port Moresby , followed by her first oversees trip to take part in the
Oceania junior championships in Townsville.
Wisil will compete in the Queensland Under-18 and national Under-18
championships from April 8-10 in Brisbane. 
The others are PNG's female 100m and 200m record holder Mae Koime, distance
specialist Sapolai Yao and rising juniors Cecilia Kumalalamene and Fabian
Nuilai.
All five took part in time trials yesterday at the Sir John Guise stadium.
But only Koime will leave today. The Australian High Commission yesterday
requested an invitation letter from Australia before processing the visas
for the others. Polum said despite the runners performing under their
personal bests, they did considerably well under a strong head wind. 
They will compete in a series of meets over the next five weeks to prepare
them for the Melanesian championships to be staged in Lae next month.
Wisil, who can speak only pidgin english, said: "Mi hamamas tru long kisim
dispela kain chance long ron long Australia. (I am happy to get this
opportunity to compete in Australia)
"Tingting blong mi em long improvim tiam blong mi long prepare long national
championships long April," she said. (My aim is to improve my times in
preparation for the national championships in April).
Wisil, who now wears Koime's old track shoes, wants to emulate the feats of
the owner in the long run. 
PNGAU president Tony Green believes Wisil will do very well in Brisbane.
"Toea has shown great determination in her training and is a fearless
competitor," Green said.

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