Trukai Industries Limited presented PNGOC with a cheque for PGK250,000 (£51,700/$71,250/€60,300) on Friday (July 16) in Port Moresby.

The payment is part of the company’s annual sponsorship of the PNGOC and comes from the sale of Trukai Fun Run t-shirts.

Speaking to the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Trukai’s chief executive Alan Preston said that the company is pleased to be able to support Papua New Guinea athletes competing at the Games.

"It has been a very challenging time for all of us but despite that we are pleased to be able to generate PGK250,000 from the fun run t-shirt sales to support Team PNG," Preston said.

"We are one of the biggest supporters of Team PNG having supported them through the Tukai Fun Run for the past 22 years since 1999."

Preston added: "The Olympic dream is the aspiration of many of our elite athletes and we are happy that we can be able to make this dream come true for them."

PNGOC President Sir John Dawanincura acknowledged Trukai’s sponsorship and expressed his gratitude for its continued commitment.

"This support enables our athletes to realise their Olympic dreams," Sir John said to the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.

"Trukai has been a great partner of the PNG Olympic Committee and we are extremely fortunate and grateful to have them as part of our family of corporate sponsors over the years." 

Despite having never won a medal, Papua New Guinea has sent athletes to compete at every Summer Olympic Games since 1976, except for when it participated in the American-led boycott of the 1980 edition held in Moscow.

Trukai’s backing comes two days after it was announced that SP Brewery would be giving PGK143,000 (£29,500/$40,700/€34,500) to the PNGOC.