Coco Talanoa — Sports / Page 21

And then there was ONE! 

Solomon Islander Sharon Firisua was the last Pacific Islander representing their home island to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics today in the marathon.

Here's our final wrap up of results for Days 12 - 15 and you can peep the results of our athletes from Day 1-4 here  , Day 5-7 here  and Day 8-11 here.

Cook Islands  

Canoe sprinter Kohl Tamarua-Horton was the final competitor for Team Cook Islands on Wednesday 4th August (Day 12)  

He raced in the Mens 200m sprint and managed to make it through to the Quarter Finals but unfortunately capsized his boat and was unable to finish the race.  He was one of the youngest on the team so we're sure we'll see more of him in the future.

Guam 

On Thursday, Guam wrapped up its competition in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  All that’s left to do is wait for the Closing Ceremony, in which wrestler Rckaela Aquino will bear the Guam flag.…more

To go along with our guide to who, what, when and where our Pasifika athletes are competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games we'll be doing a round up of how they've all been doing in case you missed their event.  Peep the results of our athletes from Day 1-4 here  & Day 5-7 here 

American Samoa 

American Samoan sprinter Nathan Crumpton is more widely known for his Winter Olympics sport of Skeleton racing.  He only decided to try out for the Summer Olympics track and field 100m race when he was on a training break in American Samoa in 2019 and happened to turn on the TV when the Pacific Games were on.…more

To go along with our guide to who, what, when and where our Pasifika athletes are competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games we'll be doing a round up of how they've all been doing in case you missed their event.  Peep the results of our athletes from Day 1-4 here 

American Samoa 

Adrian Hoesch and Tyler Paige competed in Sailing in the Men's Two Person Dinghy on Wednesday and again on Thursday.  In races 1 & 2 they placed 19th, in races 3 & 4 they placed 18th and after todays races they are again placed 18th.

The pair will race again on Sunday from about noon NZT and on Monday from about 2.35pm.…more

Samoan athlete Tuva’a Clifton just arrived at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to compete in the men's sprint canoeing, representing #TeamSamoa 

Tuva'a is competing in 3 events at the Olympics

• Men's Kayak Single 200m
• Men's Kayak Single 1000m
• Men's Kayak Double 1000m

You can watch Tuva'as races this Wednesday 4th of August. He competes in the Men's Kayak Single heat at 12.58 pm NZT and Men's Kayak Double at 2.38 pm NZT.

Before he took off for Tokyo we were able to talk to Tuva'a about his Olympic debut and this is what he had to say: 

How does it feel to be able to say that you're an “Olympian”? 

It's a really cool feeling that sometime in the future I will be able to tell my grandkids that I once competed at the Olympics. But it's also nice to be able to say it after many years of training, and that all that pain during training was not for nothing.…more

Jerry Tuwai grew up in a poor shanty in Fiji playing rugby with plastic bottles. He went on to win the first Olympic medal for his country.

To go along with our guide to who, what, when and where our Pasifika athletes are competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games we'll be doing a round up of how they've all been doing in case you missed their event.

ICYMI our Pacific Islands athletes wowed in their traditional wear and team uniforms at the Opening Ceremony parade of athletes.  Four of our Pacific Islands teams made the best dressed lists for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday night.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has kicked off tonight.  Although these Olympics are getting underway a year later due to the pandemic, they'll still be officially known as the Tokyo 2020 games.

The theme of the games this year is 'United by Emotion' and the opening ceremony will be taking place at the main Olympic stadium which will host athletics and football during the games.

At the Rio Olympics opening ceremony in 2016, our Pacific Islands nations caused quite the stir in more ways than one and we're looking forward to seeing the Pacific Islands teams march in the parade of athletes.  This years ceremony will be different to other years though - due to the pandemic and the recent State of Emergency in Tokyo, there is a total ban on all spectators at most venues, teams have to socially distance themselves from other teams and in some cases members of their own teams.

They'll also be coming out in the Japanese alphabet order (not the english alphabet).…more

Check out the live stream of the 4th annual Steven Adams High School Invitational All Star Game being played at Walter Nash Stadium in Lower Hutt - The best basketball players in the country are selected to play against each other in this invitational match.

The game will start streaming at 3.15pm and will have commentary in Samoan, Tongan, Maori and English!  Watch the english commentary in the video below.

Samoan commentary will be given by PMN Samoa radio hosts Lorenzo Kaisara and Savea Tone Peseta.

Click here to watch the game with Samoan commentary.

Tongan commentary will be given by Isaac Fotu Snr (father of pro basketball players Isaac and Dan Fotu) and Caroline Matamua (Ako Wahine Rugby Educator at NZ Rugby).

Click here to watch the game with Tongan commentary.

Maori commentary will be hosted by Zeb Nicklin.…more

Samoan former NBA player Peyton Siva has reportedly signed with the New Zealand Breakers for the 2021/2022 season.

He played in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons in the 2013/2014 season and then moved to the Euroleague where he played for Alba Berlin the last 5 seasons.  He was the starting Point Guard and has guided the team to two BBL championships.

In college he opened up about the time he saved his fathers life when he was only 13 years old.

Watch the video below - 

31-year-old Samoa international Mose Masoe suffered a career-ending and life-changing spinal injury at the beginning of 2020 while playing for Rovers in a preseason friendly.

A former Hull KR, Sydney Roosters and Penrith prop, Masoe damaged two vertebrae in an innocuous tackle but within months took a few unaided steps, astounding doctors who had warned he may never walk again.  Mose Masoe's incredible recovery story (above) will leave you in tears.

The Mose Masoe Foundation is being launched to raise funds to help relieve the financial and mental hardship of players who suffer spinal injuries, and Masoe will be the first beneficiary.

Hull KR coach Tony Smith, who is a trustee of the foundation, says it is hoped the initial campaign will raise enough money to help the player and his family while they are living in the UK and when they return home to Australia at the end of the year, when his contract with Rovers runs out.…more