Coco Talanoa — Sports / Page 1

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

See what it takes for Samoans to chase their weightlifting dreams and lift the small Pacific island to be among the best in the world, with Terron Beckham.

We share this video after news that Samoa has withdrawn their three weightlifters from the Tokyo Olympics because of concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (SASNOC) has confirmed the Government order has led to their withdrawal.

Vaipava Nevo Ioane and Don Opeloge were due to compete in the men’s 67 kilogram and 96kg events at the Games, while Iuniarra Sipaia was Samoa’s representative in the over 87kg women’s event.

All three weightlifters are based in Samoa.  Ioane had been due to compete at a second Olympic Games after representing the nation at Rio 2016.

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Check out Terron's personal video of his trip to samoa below - 

Coach and players of the Tongan national rugby team talk about the difficulty in choosing a team and preparing for a massive test match against New Zealand in Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium.

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Video via RugbyPass

Vision courtesy of Crowd Goes Wild, Sky Sport NZ

Broncos fullback Jamayne Isaako shares his rugby league story, from his rise to rookie of the year, dealing with his dad’s heartbreaking death and fulfilling his father’s wish to heal old wounds

The All Blacks were welcomed to Papakura with an Ava ceremony yesterday afternoon. All Blacks TV chatted to Patrick Tuipulotu about the special occasion.

South Seas Healthcare Trust in partnership with the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, co-hosted the All Blacks for two days of cultural activities and community engagement in South Auckland yesterday and today to kick off the Taste of Pasifika Festival   prior to the All Blacks and Maori All Blacks taking on Manu Samoa and Tonga next weekend.

South Seas Healthcare Trust CEO Lemalu Silao Vaisola Sefo said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the South Auckland community to host the All-Blacks squad, in the buildup to the Pasifika tests but also timely for our community, to connect in with such an iconic team, here in our own backyard. The chance to connect the All Blacks with the South Auckland community through genuine engagement is humbling – it is not an everyday occurrence.”

The 2 day event included an Ava Ceremony, an Umu Cooking Experience, a community organised Health Expo plus meet and greets with schools in South Auckland.…more

Matty Johns sat down with Karmichael Hunt on Face-to-Face to discuss his incredible athletic resume, touching on his debut for the Brisbane Broncos as a teenager and how the AFL used him as a pin-up boy in the NRL heartlands.

The 34 year old Samoan/Cook Islander is set to make his return to the NRL with the Brisbane Broncos tomorrow night.  He lines up at five-eigth for his first NRL game since 2009 after twelve years away playing in both the AFL and Super Rugby competitions.

Cover image photos courtesy of Willie Vake.

Update: A man has been charged with manslaughter over the death of MMA fighter Fau Vake.  Four men charged over the incident appeared in the Auckland District Court on Tuesday.  

A 29 year old was charged with Vake's manslaughter, another 29 year old was charged with common assault and injuring with intent to injure, a 3rd 29yr old is charged with two counts of assaulting with intent to injure and a 32 year old was charged with common assault.  

Lawyers for the four men have asked for interim name suppression.  The four men have been remanded on bail to next appear at the High Court in Auckland on the 23rd June.

Fau was mourned by hundreds last month at a funeral service and laid to rest at Waikumete Cemetery.

On the way to the Waikumete Cemetery, he was taken through the Kelston Boys High school entrance where students and old boys honoured him with this beautiful tribute in the video below.…more