His Majesty King Tupou VI told senior and junior judo fighters in Tonga recently that their involvement in the sport teaches them to know how to lead, work with others, how to build perseverance and respect the rules.
The king was speaking to open the 2017 Oceania Continental Judo Championships at the Atele Indoor Stadium in Tonga.
Tonga won two gold medals, three silvers and one bronze.
His Majesty said those who were participating in sports were learning health practices something that could help reduced the rapid growth of non-communicable diseases among Tongans.
“Educating good health practices and exercise at an early age will mitigate against these problems”, he said.
“Sports and Judo has all of these fine beneficial qualities. Qualities that Pacific youth and especially Tongan youth may learn from.
“Life is a series of choices that do not very often come around twice. The choices that one makes in one’s early life either magnify or dim one’s chances latter in life.
“It is said that fortune favours the well prepared. I put it to you that Judo as a sport is an enabling lens that can enrich one’s experiences and enjoyment”, His Majesty said.
The medals
In the senior category Ineti Felemi won gold in Women +78kg, while Fugala’au Mafi won silver.
In men’s category +100 kg Finetu’ui Moala won silver while Sailosi Fua won bronze.
In women junior categories +78 kg Fugala’au Mafi won gold medal while Ineti Felemi won silver
This year’s world championships will be staged in Hungary, which previously hosted the 2014 world junior titles.
