29 Aug 2005

PNG walkers set new records for Kokoda track

3:11 pm on 29 August 2005

Three Papua New Guinea men have set new records for walking the Kokoda Trail.

The track links the northern and southern coasts and was made famous by Australian soldiers who fought back the Japanese there during the Second World War.

John Hunt Hiviki, Osborne Bogajiwai, and Tom Hango tramped through the night to finish the walk across the Owen Stanley Range in less than 24 hours.

The three PNG nationals work for trekking companies and the Kokoda Challenge race was organised to get participants to complete the trail in less than a day.

Trampers usually take at least a week to do the 96 kilometre route over high ridges clad in jungle.