For para badminton athletes in Papua New Guinea, progress is built one session at a time.
That progress continued in Port Moresby from 20-26 April, where a week of Inclusive GymBad activities brought together Badminton Oceania, Interplast Australia & New Zealand, and Badminton PNG to strengthen athlete and coach development, participant wellbeing, and new collaboration opportunities across the disability sector.
Inclusive Gymbad Para Badminton Sessions
Twice a day, around 20 players arrived at the Taurama Indoor and Aquatics Centre ready to take their skills to the next level.
Led by Badminton Oceania Development Officer Dhanny Oud, players worked on their footwork, coordination, and tactics.
“The energy and enthusiasm every player brought to the sessions in Papua New Guinea was amazing,” said Dhanny. “With the majority of players being deaf, I quickly picked up some basic sign language, which really helped build the coaching connection on court.”
As the Badminton PNG National Championships approach later this year, these additional training sessions provided increased opportunities for player development.
With local coaches Linda Pulsan and Laho Maiauka learning from Dhanny, the players were not the only ones elevating their knowledge and abilities.
“Linda and Laho were awesome,” Dhanny added. “They understood exactly what was needed from the start, and they drove that through the players wonderfully.”
Furthering Collaboration and Empowering Participants
Alongside the para badminton sessions, workshops helped further extend the reach and impact of the programme.
On the second day, the Inclusive GymBad Programme Showcase & Collaboration Workshop centred on the idea that participation and volunteer growth can be achieved through collaboration with organisations that support people with disabilities.
A major highlight of the workshop was Badminton PNG’s national para badminton representative Manega Tapari and coach Linda Pulson sharing how the programme has impacted their lives.
The workshop turned interest into action—from the end of April 2026 onwards, Inclusive GymBad will deliver weekly sessions at the Red Cross Education Resource Centre.
BOC Participation and Development Manager Sam Kreutzer delivered the workshop to five organisations, including the Australian Aid Programme ‘Partnerships for Improving Education’ (PIE), the Red Cross Special Education Resource Centre, Special Olympics Papua New Guinea, and the National Sports Institute of Papua New Guinea.
Inclusion is not simply about what happens on the court; it is about equipping players with the skills to care for and advocate for themselves.
On the third day, Interplast’s Noureen Chowdhury led a wellness education workshop, with assistance from WaterAid Papua New Guinea and the National Orthotics and Prosthetics Services.
Safeguarding, hygiene, and menstrual hygiene management were the focus of the morning session, encouraging important questions and open discussion.
Inclusive GymBad and Badminton PNG Para team member Issac Ume said the session opened his eyes to what others in his life experience.
“I enjoyed the health session, especially the menstruation session,” explained Issac. “I have sisters, so I can provide support if they need it now that I better understand what they go through.”
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to assistive technology.
Interplast’s Andrew Jolly partnered with Peter Kinanag from the National Orthotics and Prosthetics Services to highlight the impact these technologies can have on quality of life.
Community Outreach
At the core of Inclusive GymBad is the commitment to reducing barriers experienced by people living with a disability, particularly women and girls.
Providing access to community-based resources can be transformative. In this spirit, the Inclusive GymBad team travelled to Vabukori Village with Sam Kreutzer and WaterAid PNG to deliver a hygiene workshop to the local community.
After setting up an AirBadminton court in the common area, young people from the village were introduced to the sport.
Despite the added challenge of gusty winds, laughter and smiles were contagious throughout the afternoon.
Capacity Building Course
BPNG’s Executive Committee and prospective future leaders at the PNG Olympic Committee were the first to take part in the new BOC Member Association Capacity Building Course (MACBC) during the visit.
The course was delivered by BOC’s Sam Kreutzer alongside former PNGOC Secretary General and current IOC Member Auvita Rapilla, drawing on extensive experience across Papua New Guinea and global sport management.
Focused on strengthening understanding of badminton as a global sport, as well as development and governance principles, the course supported the Executive Committee at a key moment in their leadership journey.
This was particularly timely, with several attendees having only recently been elected to the board at the 2026 BPNG AGM in March.
Building on Foundations
For GymBad participants and Badminton PNG staff, this week added to the strong foundations laid in past visits – those of confidence, shared understanding, and opportunity.
“The health/ hygiene session was very helpful,” said Moses, an Inclusive Gymbad participant. “AJ’s session on assistive devices helped me understand the use of these various devices during discussions, and training with Dhanny made a huge difference, I have more confidence to play with the experienced athletes on the program now.”
Across training sessions, workshops, and community engagement, participants were supported to grow not only as athletes, but also as individuals and advocates within their communities.
With new partnerships taking shape, weekly Inclusive GymBad sessions confirmed at the Red Cross Education Resource Centre from the end of April 2026, and athletes preparing for upcoming national competitions, the visit marked another important step forward. Built on collaboration and continued learning, Inclusive GymBad in Papua New Guinea continues to move from possibility into lasting impact.
Inclusive GymBad’s expansion into Eastern Highlands was made possible by support from the Australian Aid programme Team Up.
