Tonga claims shot put gold as 2025 Pacific Mini Games draw to a close

RNZ News

a day ago

Tu'utafaiva, 28, is mentored by former world and Olympic Games champion Valerie Adams, and recorded a throw of 14.76 metres to claim top spot.
Photo:
Facebook / Tonga Sports Association & National Olympic Committee
Tonga's Ata Ma'ama Tu'utafaiva won gold in the women's shot put finals at the 2025 Pacific Games in Palau on Tuesday evening.
Tu'utafaiva, 28, is mentored by former world and Olympic Games champion Valerie Adams and recorded a throw of 14.76 metres to claim top spot.
Her performance broke a day of dominance by Tahiti and Papua New Guinea in the athletics competition in Koror.
The Tonga Association of National Sports and Olympic Committee (TASANOC) said it was a massive throw by their top athlete.
"Ata Ma'ama secures gold for Tonga with strength, focus, and heart. Ata delivered a golden moment for Team Tonga rising to the top of the podium and making the Kingdom proud," TASANOC said.
Tu'utafaiva beat Australia's Taylor Laarson for the gold, while Fiji's Maryann Macedru took home the bronze medal.
Her golden win added to the two golds won by archer
Arne Jensen
, giving Tonga three gold medals on the medal standing, tying with Nauru, the Federated State of Micronesia and Vanuatu in the gold medal haul.
Tonga's Ata Ma'ama Tu'utafaiva, middle, proudly shows her country's flag and gold medal along with silver medalist Taylor Laarson of Australia. left, and Fiji's Maryann Macedru.
Photo:
Facebook / Tonga Sports Association & National Olympic Committee
The Mini Games have one more day of competition today (Wednesday).
Palau, which welcomed just over 1500 athletes on 29 June, will hand over the Pacific Mini Games flag to 2029 hosts, the Cook Islands, at the closing ceremony.
While some contingents have made the return trips home following the completion of their respective competition, others have stayed on to finish off what they are in Koror for.
Tahiti has stamped its mark as the team to beat when it hosts the Pacific Games in two years' time.
On Tuesday, Team Tahiti extended its lead on top of the medal tally, winning a number of medals.
Just as they did on Monday, the Tahitians won the first gold medal on offer in the mixed triathlon relay event.
Salome De Barthez de Marmorieres, who claimed the first gold of the day when day seven of the competition started on Monday, led her country's mixed relay team to claim gold on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old and her team raced to victory in 1 hour 17 minutes and 33 seconds, ahead of arch rival New Caledonia and bronze winner, Guam.
They also dominated in the judo competition, which included the open men's title claimed by Cyril Gaudemer.
Gaudemer defeated Australia's Jake Bell 21 points to nil (21-0).
Tahiti has claimed a total of 70 gold, 40 silver and 27 bronze medals, heading into the final day.
Their gold haul is 43 more than Samoa, which is sitting in second spot on the medal tally, and 46 more than Fiji and Australia, which have 24 golds each to their names.
The only country not to have won a medal at the Games so far is Norfolk Island, with Tokelau having claimed a bronze through their lone athlete, judoka Ilai Elekana Manu.
New Zealand managed two gold medals, through champion weightlifter David Liti.
Some of the highlights of Tuesday's competition were:
American Samoa defeated Guam 13-5 in the women's softball final to claim gold at the Meyuns Softball Field in Koror.
In the women's competition, American Samoa beat Tahiti 3 sets to 2 in a tight contest. Tahiti won the first set 25-21 but American Samoa bounced back to win set two and three 25-20 and 25-16.
Tahiti fought back to win the fourth set 25-20 before American Samoa stamped their mark as the new champions, winning the decider 15-13.
Wallis and Futuna won gold in the men's competition, scoring a 3-0 win over Papua New Guinea in a one-sided scoring finale. Tahiti claimed the bronze.
PNG dominated this competition, claiming gold, silver and bronze. Dorna Longbut won gold with a throw of 9.15 metres, ahead of teammates Manega Tapari and Regina Edward.
It was another PNG victory in this competition, with Jerome Bunge claiming gold ahead of Tahiti and Vanuatu.
Australian Raphael Idris, 19, finished ahead of the pack, winning gold by 0.90 metres, ahead of Fiji's Reki Roberts, who claimed silver with a jump of 11m. Palau's Sydney Francisco won bronze.
PNG claimed all three medals on offer in the event, with Daniel Baul taking gold when he finished the race in 55.55s.
Another PNG athlete dominated the final in the men's competition, with Tovetuna Tuna claiming gold this time around, ahead of Fiji's Waisake Tewa and Team PNG mate Johnny Bai.
The 100m gold medallist Pais Wisil finished fourth in the race.
The women's competition Fijian Heleina Young, who played sevens rugby for Fiji last year, established her mark as the champion in the final race.
She outsprinted PNG's Isila Apkup and Australia's Kayedel Smith to the tape, finishing with a time of 24.01s.
Fiji's Heleina Young blazed her way to gold in the Women's 200m Final, clocking an impressive 24.01 seconds.
Photo:
Facebook / Team Fiji
PNG ran away with the gold medal also in this event, beating Fiji and Tahiti to the tape.
Team PNG's Lakona Gerega struck gold in the men's javelin and broke the national record he previously set at the 2024 Oceania Championships in Suva. His new record throw of 67.43m surpasses his former mark of 66.73m.
Teammate Lucas Osida claimed the silver medal with a strong throw of 62.81m, finishing ahead of Australia, who took bronze with 59.32m.
Australia won the gold medal after a 2-0 set win over the Northern Marianas team while in the women's competition Vanuatu duo Majabelle Lawac and Sherysyn Toko turned the tables on Australia to win the final.
Toko and Lawac won the two sets 22-20 and 21-18.
Vanuatu women's beach volleyball team with FIVB president Fabio Azevedo, middle, after claiming the 2025 Pacific Mini Games gold medal in the final in Koror on 8 July 2025.
Photo:
Facebook / VASANOC (Vanuatu Association of Sports And National Olympic Committee)
The ninth and final day of the 2025 Pacific Mini Games opened with the half marathon races, which started at 4:30am Palau time (7:30am NZT) on Wednesday.
Triathlon finals are also on the schedule today, while the feature of the day's program will be the 3x3 basketball events.
As a qualifying competition for the World Cup and the 2026 Commonwealth Games, a lot of interest has centred on who will take out the top honours in the two categories - men and women.
Semi-final draws has Fiji meeting Northern Marianas in game onem, while PNG battle Tonga in the second semi.
The men's side of the draw has Fiji taking on Tonga, while hosts Palau will square off against the Solomon Islands.
Winners will then meet in the finals as the last two events of the Games.
2025 Pacific Mini Games medal tally at the end of day eight of competitions on 8 July 2025.
Photo:
RNZ Pacific
Meanwhile, the closing ceremony will kick off at 6pm in Koror.
That will begin with the parade of the athletes, before the announcement of the Male and Female Athletes of the Games, the lowering of the Pacific Games Flag and presentation to representatives of the next hosts, the Cook Islands, who will have the Games in 2029.
The ceremony will close with celebrations and performances, celebrating the spirit of the Games.