Coco Talanoa — Sports / Page 36

Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Legends Vai Sikahema, Reno Mahe & Ma'a Tanuvasa were in Auckland to check out some of the local Poly talent on offer and to help out at the NZ Down Under Bowl Team training.

Check out the highlights from the final day of the Pacific Games 2019 in Samoa! 

The Netball Bronze medal final between Samoa & Papua New Guinea and the Gold medal final between the Cook Islands and Tonga, both the Men's and Women's Football Gold Medal matches, the Women's Half Marathon and the Men's triathlon plus highlights from the Closing Ceremony.

Cover image - Photo Credit Pacific Games News Service:  Therese Rivers 

Highlights from the 2nd to last day of the Pacific Games 2019.

All 7 of Samoa's Boxers coming away with Gold, the Tonga vs Samoa netball semi, Womens Volleyball bronze match between Samoa & Wallis and Futuna plus the Gold medal final between Tahiti and New Caledonia.

Track and Field highlights included the Womens Long Jump,  Mens & Womens 400m Hurdles as well as the Men's and Women's 4x100m relay.

Photo credit for photos used in header collage - Pacific Games News Service:  Trina Edwards, Therese Rivers & Ikoke Leaitutulia

Check out more of the exciting finals in the athletics!

Men's Long Jump where Kelvin Masoe claimed a historic, first ever Gold for Samoa as well as a new national record, watch 19yr old Mosese Foliaki pick up his 2nd Gold in the 110m hurdles after taking out the Men's High Jump and all the action from the the Women's 1500m, Men's 5000m, both the Women's & Men's 110m hurdles, the 200m finals and the 4x 400m relays.

There's also Boxing and netball semi-final highlights.

Photo credit for photos used in header collage - Pacific Games News Service:  Trina Edwards & Therese Rivers 

Check out some of the Boxing matches in Savai'i, the Basketball medal matches including both Mens & Womens Gold medal finals plus the 10,000m Womens race & Alex beddoes 2nd Gold for the Cook Islands in the 1500m.

Photo credit for photos used in header collage - Pacific Games News Service:  Trina Edwards & Faaiu Leifi Levi

Commonwealth Games Silver Medalist and National boxing representative, Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali is representing Samoa at the Pacific Games.

The Boxing tournament at Don Bosco College in Saleloga, on Savai'i brings the games to the Big Island where 14 countries are competing for Gold, Silver & Bronze.  

The Pacific Games came to a close over the weekend.  12 days of sporting competition between 24 Pacific island nations, nearly 5,000 athletes, multiple sports and the biggest games so far in its history.  

Samoa has been praised for the success of the event and the standard of hosting with the President of the Pacific Games Council saying 'These games far exceeded our expectations in terms of the number of athletes participating, the arrangements made, the excellent venues provided and the very high level of competition.'

Pacific Games Director James Smith also acknowledged the Games volunteers and told the Samoa Observer that the event would not have taken off without their hard work. 

There were about 2,500 volunteers in total ranging in age from Intermediate school age children to senior adults and were allocated to different sports.

“Without the behind the scenes work, the Games won’t exist. The Games will fall on its face so we’re really pleased with the amount of support from the Government and the Public Service Commission to make this Games happen," he said.…more

Track & Field athletes started their Pacific Games campaign yesterday with the Mens Steeplechase, Womens 5000m, Mens Javelin, Womens Shotput and various heats.

Check out some of the footage from two of the 100m heats raced last night PLUS the 100m final tonight where crowd favourite Samoans Jeremy Dodson & Kelvin Masoe went up against Fijian Banuve Tabakaucoro.  Jeremy talks to Radio Samoa after the race.   

Check out more highlights including footage of the 800m final below.

The first lot of medals went to Papua New Guinea who won Gold (Simbai Kaspar), Silver (Sapolai Yao) & Bronze (Andipas Georasi) in the Mens 3000m Steeplechase

The Womens 5000m saw Papua New Guinea take out the Gold (Poro Gahekave) and Silver (Mary Tenge) with Solomon Islands (Dianah Matekali) taking Bronze. 

In Women's Shot Put, Tonga's Ata Maama Tuutafaiva won Gold, with American Samoa's Nuuasala Tuilefano taking Silver and Tahiti's Vaihina Doucet with the Bronze.…more

The 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa are over half way through and the second week continues with athletics, netball, touch rugby, boxing, volleyball and more action packed sports.

We've got the highlights for you from the Opening Ceremony as well as highlight packages for each day of competition thanks to the Samoa 2019 Pacific Games.

Catch up on all the action here ...

THE OPENING CEREMONY & PARADE OF NATIONS 

DAY ONE - BASKETBALL, SOCCER & OPEN WATER SWIMMING HIGHLIGHTS 

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DAY TWO - RUGBY LEAGUE, WEIGHTLIFTING, BEACH VOLLEYBALL, VA'A, ARCHERY & SWIMMING 

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DAY THREE - SWIMMING, TABLE TENNIS, VA'A, WEIGHTLIFTING, SOCCER, CRICKET & LAWN BOWLS 

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DAY FOUR - SWIMMING, SAILING, BEACH VOLLEYBALL & WEIGHTLIFTING 

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DAY FIVE - SWIMMING, TENNIS, SOCCER, BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS & WEIGHTLIFTING 

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DAY SIX - SWIMMING, SOCCER, RUGBY 7s, GOLF & WEIGHTLIFTING 

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DAY SEVEN - VOLLEYBALL, ARCHERY, BASKETBALL, SOCCER, NETBALL & ATHLETICS (TRACK + FIELD)

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DAY EIGHT - BASKETBALL, BADMINTON, ATHLETICS (TRACK & FIELD) & JUDO 

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DAY NINE - BOXING, BASKETBALL (MEDAL FINALS) AND ATHLETICS (TRACK & FIELD) 

Black Caps Batsman Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor in Samoa promoting the game of cricket at a fundraiser event in 2017 celebrating Samoan cricket.  

He talks career paths in cricket and inspiring the next generation to give professional cricket a go.

Link to story: https://goo.gl/GwLtA9

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via Samoa Observer