Papua New Guinea's Petronela Nokenoke started boxing for fun. She's now one of the best boxers in the country and wants to be a role model for others in her community.
Petronela Nokenoke is now one of the best female boxers in Papua New Guinea , having won gold at last year's Pacific Games , but it hasn't been an easy journey for the 28-year-old.
"Back home this sport has always been dominated by men while the women have other obligations to take care, other than sports.""I started taking trainings seriously after I realised the impact it would create in my community if I committed myself," she said. Despite giving it her best shot, she didn't make the 2019 PNG team that went to compete in the Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa.
"Last year was my breaking point that I knew I had to work extra hard and that paid off when I found out I was going to the Pacific Games," she said. "Boxing has always been a sport of discipline and teaches one to be disciplined and humble although it's aggressive when you're in the ring. "At this moment, funding has always been our biggest challenge however if we have enough it would be great to run more coaching programs in the active boxing centres in PNG so we prepare the next generation of female boxers."
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