NUMA Teariki

General
FOLLOWING HIS FATHER
His father Graham was the first athlete from Papua New Guinea to compete in sailing at the Olympic Games, taking part in windsurfing at the 1988 and 1992 Games. No other Papua New Guinea athlete has competed in sailing at an Olympic Games since then. "Everyone's tried to qualify for the Olympics ever since we started training and none of them have been successful and we've always fallen short ever since we started campaigning for the Olympics in 2008 until now [2020]. My dad set this goal so high for me and he set the bar so high. Now I've hit that bar I'm just so happy and I think it's just the greatest feeling ever, especially making it to the Olympics and adding to my dad's record." (rnz.co.nz, 21 Feb 2020)

ALMOST GIVING UP
He admits he almost quit the sport following doubts about his ability to qualify for the Olympic Games, and the passing of his aunty, who was Papua New Guinea's sailing team manager, a few weeks prior to the 2020 World Laser Championships in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. He was inspired to continue for his aunt, and also by the death of his grandmother. "A few weeks prior to the [2020] worlds, I lost a very special person in my life, my dad's younger sister, my aunty who was like a mum to me and played a huge role in my sailing career. That was the biggest set-back ever. I had to really think about continuing and thought [about] hanging up the wet suits. [Losing] my grandmother, that was one of the things that really woke me up. She was one of those people that every time I'd sail she'd be like 'Sail strong, be like the old man and sail strong', and that has been something that really stuck with me." (rnz.co.nz, 21 Feb 2020)

OCCUPATION
He works as a strength and conditioning coach for Papua New Guinea's national cricket association. (Facebook profile, 28 Mar 2020; PNG Tok Street Facebook page, 27 Feb 2020)