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.

"I started at my boxing career in 2016 at the time, I was just a normal 20-year-old woman trying to make use of my free time," Nokenoke said.

"I never had any role models in the code that inspired me while growing up so one day I just got up and decided that I'll take up boxing and that's how everything started.

"Back home this sport has always been dominated by men while the women have other obligations to take care, other than sports."

Nokenoke said when she started training at her local club it was all for fun.

"I started taking trainings seriously after I realised the impact it would create in my community if I committed myself," she said.

"By 2017 I had the privilege to compete in my first fight back home before I was given an opportunity to represent Team AROB (Autonomous Region of Bougainville) at the national titles where I won in the women's 60kg division.

"In the same year, I attended the PNG Games in West New Britain where I won gold in the 64kg division."

Fast learning curve

With no experience at the junior level, Nokenoke accepted her fate to start her bouts in the senior divisions and fight against very experienced boxers.

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.

"I started very late for my age, despite missing out on the 2019 Games, I still put my head down to train and commit myself and that got me this far," she said.

Nokenoke had her first international bout last year during the 2023 Kokoda Boxing Challenge in Port Moresby, which helped her prepare and train to make the national team.

"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.

She said reliving that moment of winning her first Pacific Games gold medal is still unbelievable after defeating her Tahitian opponent Flora Hani in the women's 63kg division.

"I have played this moment 100 times in my head, still couldn't believe I won a gold medal on my first appearance for my country, for the people of AROB and for all the women and girls in my region," 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.

"One positive thing I'd like to make an impact on is to continue to learn as much as I can so that when I return home, I can impart that knowledge to women at home.

"I want to teach and inspire young girls and women to take up the code and do something positive for themselves, especially in sports. We've seen men from our region raise the bar for boxing and other sports and it's time we do the same."

Future of women's boxing in PNG

PNG Boxing Union president Dr Gideon Kendino said 2023 Pacific Games results have proven that women can break barriers in a sport traditionally dominated by men.

Of the eight gold medals won, five were from female boxers.

"It shows that we have what it takes to find more female boxers at the local level wherever they are, train them and prepare them for such moment," he said.

"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."

Apart from boxing training, Nokenoke has also volunteered to carry out several community initiatives back home around drug and alcohol awareness, and encourage the younger generation to use sport as a tool of success.

"Of course there will be a lot of challenges but that is something I am looking forward to and that is to create a boxing hub, a safe space for woman and girls in my community and began with boxing."

Jamie Haro is a sports reporter with The National newspaper and has over three years of experience in mainstream media including TV, online and print in PNG. 

She is a member of ABC International Development's Women in News and Sport Initiative, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Team Up program.