Tuvalu at the Pacific Games

Tuvalu at the
Pacific Games
Medals
Ranked 22nd
Gold
2
Silver
8
Bronze
6
Total
16
Pacific Games appearances (overview)

Tuvalu participates in the Pacific Games which is a multi-sport event with participation exclusively from countries in Oceania. Known as the South Pacific Games prior to 2009, the games are currently held every four years.

Tuvalu made its first appearance at the 1979 South Pacific Games held in Suva, Fiji. Telupe Iosefa received the first ever gold medal won by Tuvalu at the 2015 Pacific Games in the powerlifting 120 kg male division.

Tuvalu also participates in the Pacific Mini Games, which is a scaled-down version of the main games that enable smaller nations to host events and compete against each other and which is similarly rotated on a four-year basis in the intervening years between the main games.

History of participation by Tuvaluan athletes

A combined Gilbert and Ellice Islands team participated at the 1963,[1] 1966,[2] and 1971 South Pacific Games.[3] An athlete from Tuvalu (then Ellice Islands), namely Nelu Arenga, is at least documented for 1971.[3][4]

Athletes from Tuvalu attended the 2003 South Pacific Games for the first time.[5]

Logona Esau was the first athlete from Tuvalu to win a medal at an international competition, when he took bronze at the 2005 South Pacific Mini Games in Koror, Palau.[6]

Tuvalu competed at the 2007 Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa. Tuvalu was ranked 18th equal at the Games, with 2 medals (0 gold - 1 silver - 1 bronze).

Tuvalu competed at the 2011 Pacific Games in Nouméa, New Caledonia. Tuvalu was ranked 17th at the Games, with 3 medals (0 gold - 2 silver - 1 bronze).

At the 2013 Pacific Mini Games in Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna, Tuau Lapua Lapua won Tuvalu's first ever gold medal in an international competition in the weightlifting 62 kilogram male snatch. (He also won bronze in the clean and jerk, and obtained the silver medal overall for the combined event.)[7][8]

Tuvalu competed at the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Nakibae Kitisane was the Chef de Mission.[9] Tuvalu was ranked 19th at the Games, with 4 medals (1 gold - 0 silver - 3 bronze). Telupe Iosefa received the first ever gold medal won by Tuvalu at the Pacific Games in the powerlifting 120 kg male division.[10][11][12]

Tuvalu competed at the 2017 Pacific Mini Games held at Port Vila, Vanuatu, winning 2 medals (0 gold - 1 silver - 1 bronze). The team included Asenate Manoa (women’s long jump), Meauma Petaia (men’s long jump), Imo Fiamalua (men’s javelin throw), Vaiuli Nukualofa (men’s javelin throw), Tupou Koliano, Vaiuli Nukualofa, Meauma Petaia and Karalo Maibuca (men’s 100 metres & 4 x 100 metres relay), Ioane Hawaii (men's table tennis) and Manuila Raobu (men's weightlifting).

  • The Tuvaluan football team placed 4th in the men’s competition with 2 wins and 3 losses.[13]
  • Imo Fiamalua placed 8th in the men’s javelin throw event and set a Tuvaluan national record of 53.62 metres.[14]
  • Tupou Koliano, Vaiuli Nukualofa, Meauma Petaia and Karalo Maibuca placed 6th in the 4 x 100 m relay and set a Tuvaluan national record of 46.07 seconds.[15]

Tuvalu competed at the 2019 Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa. Tuvalu was ranked 20th at the Games, with 3 medals (1 gold - 1 silver - 1 bronze).

Tuvalu sent a team of athletes to the 2022 Pacific Mini Games and won 3 medals (2 gold - 1 bronze). The team included Maka Foster Ofati, Mathew Pese and Faolaina Tepa Haleti, who participated in men’s tennis.[16] Manuila Raobu participated in Weightlifting at the 2022 Pacific Mini Games, which competition was also designated the 2022 Oceania Senior Weightlifting Championships. Ampex Isaac and Saaga Malosa represented Tuvalu in the Beach volleyball competition.[17] For the first time, Maeli Ioane and Betty Resture represented Tuvalu in the Badminton competition.[18]

Tuvalu competed at the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands, from 19 November to 2 December 2023, with team members winning silver medals in weightlifting and the men's tennis doubles competition.[19]

See also: Tuvalu Athletics Association, Tuvalu Weightlifting Federation, and Tuvalu Powerlifting Federation

Pacific Games medals

Pacific Mini Games medals

Participation of the Tuvalu national football team

Main article: Tuvalu national football team

Tuvalu have appeared in the finals of the football competition at the Pacific Games on four occasions in 1979, 2003, 2007 and 2011. The football team did not participated in the 2015 Pacific Games.

Record

Year Round Position GP W D* L GS GA
1963 to 1975 Did not enter - - - - - - -
Fiji 1979 Quarter-finals 8th 5 2 0 3 16 43
1983 to 1999 Did not enter - - - - - - -
Fiji 2003 Round 1 8th 4 1 0 3 3 11
Samoa 2007 Round 1 9th 4 0 1 3 2 22
France 2011 Round 1 7th 5 1 1 3 7 20
2015 Did not enter - - - - - - -
Samoa 2019 Round 1 - 5 0 1 4 2 42
Total 5/16 23 4 3 16 30 128
Pacific Games matches (By team)
Total : 4 Wins – 3 Ties – 16 Losses – 23 games played
Against Wins Draws Losses Total Against Wins Draws Losses Total
 Tahiti 0 1 2 3  Vanuatu 0 0 2 2
 Tonga 1 0 0 1  Solomon Islands 0 0 3 3
 New Caledonia 0 0 4 4  Cook Islands 0 0 1 1
 Kiribati 2 0 0 2  American Samoa 1 1 0 2
 Fiji 0 0 3 3  Guam 0 1 1 2

Tuvalu national football team at the 1979 South Pacific Games

Group 2

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
 Tahiti 4 2 2 0 0 26 0 +26
 Tuvalu 2 2 1 0 1 5 21 -16
 Tonga 0 2 0 0 2 3 13 -10
Tahiti 18 - 0 Tuvalu
Tuvalu 5 - 3 Tonga

Quarter finals

New Caledonia 10 - 2 Tuvalu

Consolation Tournament (5th-12th place)

 Tuvalu3 - 3 (4–2 pens.) Kiribati

Semi finals

 Guam7 - 2 Tuvalu

Tuvalu national football team at the 2003 South Pacific Games

Group A

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
 Fiji 10 4 3 1 0 18 1 +17
 Vanuatu 8 4 2 2 0 21 2 +19
 Solomon Islands 7 4 2 1 1 14 4 +10
 Tuvalu 3 4 1 0 3 3 11 -8
 Kiribati 0 4 0 0 4 2 40 -38
Tuvalu 3 - 2 Kiribati
Kivoli Manoa 3'
Paenui Fagota 75'
Petio Semaia 81'		 Lawrence Nemeia 26' 46'
Fiji 4 - 0 Tuvalu
Esala Masi 1' 15'
Salesh Kumar 38' 41'
Attendance: 3,000
Tuvalu 0 - 1 Vanuatu
Manley Junior Tabe 86'
Attendance: 700
Tuvalu 0 - 4 Solomon Islands
Colman Maniadalo 16'
Commins Menapi 27' 87'
Batram Suri 80'
Attendance: 2,500

Tuvalu national football team at the 2007 Pacific Games

Group A

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Fiji 4 3 1 0 25 1 +24 10
 New Caledonia 4 3 1 0 6 1 +5 10
 Tahiti 4 1 1 2 2 6 −4 4
 Cook Islands 4 1 0 3 4 9 −5 3
 Tuvalu 4 0 1 3 2 22 −20 1
Fiji 16 – 0 Tuvalu
Krishna 6', 14', 22'
Rabo 11', 34', 45'
Baleitoga 17'
Tiwa 28', 30'
Vakatalesau 42', 46', 65', 73', 82', 89'
Finau 68' (pen.)		 Report
Attendance: 200
Referee: Fiti Aimaasu (Samoa)
Tuvalu 0 – 1 New Caledonia
Report Kabeu 52'
Attendance: 250
Tuvalu 1 – 1 Tahiti
Sekifu 87' Report Willams 45+1'
Attendance: 100
Cook Islands 4 – 1 Tuvalu
Mateariki 28', 69'
Le Mouton 88'
Tom 90+3'		 Report Willis 83' (o.g.)
Attendance: 200

Tuvalu national football team at the 2011 Pacific Games

Group A

Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 New Caledonia 5 4 0 1 31 2 +29 12
 Solomon Islands 5 4 0 1 19 3 +16 12
 Vanuatu 5 4 0 1 18 7 +11 12
 Tuvalu 5 1 1 3 7 20 −13 4
 Guam 5 1 1 3 4 21 −17 4
 American Samoa 5 0 0 5 0 26 −26 0
Tuvalu 4 – 0 American Samoa
Petoa 15', 90', 90+2'
Tiute 30'		 Report
Referee: Averii Jacques (Tahiti)
Vanuatu 5 – 1 Tuvalu
J. Kaltak 8', 38', 45+1', 80'
Yelou 49' (pen.)		 Report Ale 90+1'
Referee: Rakesh Varman (Fiji)
Tuvalu 0 – 8 New Caledonia
Report Gorendiawé 15'
Kabeu 26', 35'
Gope-Fenepej 38'
Haeko 50'
Lolohea 61'
Hmaé 67', 85'
Solomon Islands 6 – 1 Tuvalu
Totori 15', 41' (pen.)
Lui 23'
Naka 37', 46'
Faisi 90+1'		 Report Lepaio 78'
Referee: Averii Jacques (Tahiti)
Guam 1 – 1 Tuvalu
Cunliffe 18' (pen.) Report Stanley 24'

Tuvalu national football team at the 2019 Pacific Games

8 July 2019 2019 Pacific Games Group Stage Tuvalu  0–13  Solomon Islands Samoa Apia, Samoa
10:00 Report
Stadium: J.S. Blatter Stadium
Attendance: 300
Referee: Pari Oito (Tahiti)
10 July 2019 2019 Pacific Games Group Stage Tuvalu  0–7  Tahiti Samoa Apia, Samoa
9:00 Report
Stadium: J.S. Blatter Stadium
Attendance: 150
Referee: Clifford Daypuyat (Philippines)
12 July 2019 2019 Pacific Games Group Stage American Samoa  1–1  Tuvalu Samoa Apia, Samoa
9:00
  • Pati 70'
 Report Stadium: J.S. Blatter Stadium
Attendance: 100
Referee: Pari Oito (Tahiti)
15 July 2019 2019 Pacific Games Group Stage Fiji  10–1  Tuvalu Samoa Apia, Samoa
13:00
Report
  • Vailine 53'
 Stadium: J.S. Blatter Stadium
Attendance: 250
Referee: Nadia Browning (New Zealand)
18 July 2019 2019 Pacific Games Group Stage New Caledonia  11–0  Tuvalu Samoa Apia, Samoa
10:00
Report Stadium: J.S. Blatter Stadium
Referee: Rani Perry (Tahiti)

References

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  3. ^ a b SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES - Pirae, French Polynesia 1971 (PDF), Oceania Athletics Association, retrieved January 28, 2014
  4. ^ NATIONAL RECORDS - OCEANIA - TUVALU (PDF), Oceania Athletics Association, August 13, 2011, pp. 43–44, retrieved January 28, 2014
  5. ^ SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES - Suva, Fiji 1979 (PDF), Oceania Athletics Association, retrieved January 28, 2014
  6. ^ a b "Weightlifting Men's Final Results 2005 South Pacific Mini Games". Fox Sports. 27 July 2005. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  7. ^ a b c "XIV. PACIFIC GAMES (09/05/2011 - NCL: Noumea)". Olystats. 2011. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
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  13. ^ "2017 Pacific Mini Games - Men". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
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