Tongan athletes have been highly visible at the Commonwealth Games this week, regardless of which flag they are completing under.
Tongan born David Liti won gold in the weightlifting, competing for New Zealand.
Liti came to New Zealand with his family when he was six.
On Monday he set a Commonwealth Games record when he won the gold medal in the 105kg+ division with a combined total of 403kg.
Meanwhile, Dame Valerie Adams, who is proud of her Tongan heritage, is preparing to defend her gold medal in the women’s shot put.
Adams’ four previous Commonwealth Games have yielded three gold medals and a silver.
She won silver in Manchester (2002) before winning gold at Melbourne (2006), Delhi (2010) and Glasgow (2014).
Elsewhere at the Games, members of Tonga’s own team have been competing steadily with one first, a number of placings and several losses.
In the lawn bowls Women’s Pairs (Section B/ Round 5) Caroline Dubois and Malia Kioa lost 12-20 to Canada today.
Yesterday they faced Fiji in the Women’s Pairs (Section B/Round 2), losing 11-21.
Later they went down 6-29 against New Zealand in the Women’s Pairs Sectional Play (Section B/ Round 3/Match 1).
On Monday Sateki Langi came 10th in the men’s 150kg weightlifting.
In the lawn bowls Women’s Pairs Sectional Play (Section B/Round 1/Match 2) Dubois and Kioa lost 10-21 to Norfolk Island.
In the women’s 50 metre backstroke (Heat 1) Charissa Panuve placed fifth with a time of 36:37.
In the men’s 50m freestyle (Heat 1) Finau Ohuafi came first with a time of 26:07.
In the men’s 110m Hurdles (Round 1/Heat two) Talatala Pooi came eighth with a time of 15:02.
In the men’s boxing 60kg Round of 16 Tuihalangingie Vea lost to Jean John Colin of Mauritius.
Tomorrow Ata Maama Tuutafaiva will compete in the Women’s Shot Put Qualifying Round Group A.
Medals
Tonga has not won any medals so far. Of the other Pacific nations competing, Samoa has two gold and two silver, Papua New Guinea has one gold and two silver, Fiji has one gold and one bronze and Nauru has one silver.
The Cook Islands, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu each have a bronze.
The main points
- Tongan athletes have been highly visible at the Commonwealth Games this week, regardless of which flag they are completing under.
- Tongan born David Liti won gold in the weightlifting, competing for New Zealand and Dame Valerie Adams is preparing to defend her shotput title.
- Elsewhere at the Games, members of Tonga’s own team have been competing steadily with one first, a number of placings and several losses.
For more information
David Liti’s remarkable journey from Tonga to Auckland to Commonwealth Games champion
