UPDATED Tonga now have four gold medals after Ata Maama Tu’utafaiva won gold in the women’s shot put with a toss of 16.61 metres.
“I was nervous to come to the ring, but I did my best,” Tu’utafaiva said.
“It was my first time to win a gold medal. I’m so happy.”
The kingdom has so far won 10 medals including one silver and five bronze.
The Pacific Games News Service reported that each time Tu’utafaiva threw in competition at Apia Park Stadium, she increased her distance anywhere between 41cm and 1.65m, eventually ending on her gold medal-winning toss of 16.61m.
Meanwhile, Aisake Tuitupou, 24, claimed two Pacific Games gold medals, one for the Clean and Jerk and one for the total in the 109kg men’s A division.
Tuitupou, told Newsline Samoa that hearing the national anthem played as he stood on the winner’s dias was “unexpected” and “special.”
“I definitely didn’t expect this. I expected to walk away with a bronze medal because obviously they (Samoa) lift quite a bit more than me,” New Zealand-based Tuitupou said.
“It’s definitely special to represent my dad’s country and my grandma and my grandpa’s. To see the flag raised was something very special for me.”
Tonga has always made a mark in archery, winning gold.
Samoa’s national archery coach, He Chunchen, said Pacific archers had all the ingredients to compete globally against the world’s best.
He has also coached young archers from Tonga and Vanuatu who were sent to China for specialised training.
Not so lucky
Elsewhere, Tonga has not been so lucky.
Papua New Guinea’ touch rugby team defeated Tonga 21-3; while the women’s team won 20-0 against Tonga.
The majority of the PNG men’s team arrived in Samoa only the night before competition began and were recovering from jet lag, their coach said.
Medal tally
Tonga’s tally on the official Game website places it alongside several other small Pacific nations.
These include Tonga’s overall tally puts it on the same level as Vanuatu and ahead of Wallis and Futuna, Tokelau, Palau, Norfolk Island, Niue, the Northern Marianas, the Marshall Islands, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia and American Samoa.
Host Samoa has 76 medals, putting it in the top four.
The French speaking territories of New Caledonia and Tahiti are also in the top four, with 95 and 59 medal respectively. The other member of the leading quartet is Fiji with 67 medals.
The main points
- Tonga now three gold medals after Ata Maama Tuutafaiva won gold in the women’s shot put with a toss of 16.61 metres.
- “I was nervous to come to the ring, but I did my best,” Tuutafaivas said.
