by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer
Pacific Island athletes at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris have yet to secure any medals. Over the weekend, seven athletes participated in para-taekwondo and para-athletics events.
Fiji’s Irene Mar came the closest to winning a medal, losing in the bronze medal playoff for the women’s taekwondo K44, 57kg division on Saturday. Ranked tenth, Mar won her opening match decisively, defeating seventh-ranked Yuliya Lypetska from Ukraine 25-3, but was then eliminated by second seed Gamze Gurdal in the subsequent match and the bronze playoff.
From Papua New Guinea, Manega Tapari won her first match in the women’s K44, plus 65kg category, but lost in the Round of 16. She scored 16-10 against Louisette Flora Rene Kimoto Martha from the Central African Republic in the round of 32 but fell 35-6 to Dalia Santiago Morena from Spain in the next round.
Four athletes from the Solomon Islands also competed. According to the Oceania Paralympic Committee, Cosmol Maefolia made his debut in the Men’s F38 Javelin at Stade de France, achieving a season-best throw of 25.62 meters, but finishing last. Junita Tonowane lost 25-0 to Denmark’s Lisa Gjessing in the women’s 65kg category at the Grand Palais. Solomon Jagiri faced Iran’s Sadeghianpour Saeid in the Men’s 63kg Round of 16, losing 28-2, while James Ingram Gegeu was defeated 16-0 by Ramazanov Aliaskhab of Russia in the Men’s 80kg division.
Six more athletes are set to compete in athletics this week. Vanuatu’s Ken Kahu will participate in the men’s F64 javelin, and Kiribati’s Ongiou Timeon will compete in the men’s F11 shot put, both scheduled for Tuesday morning. Vanuatu’s Ellie Enock will take part in the women’s F57 shot put on Thursday night, followed by Fijian athletes Selina Seau and Naibili Vatunisolo in the women’s F64 shot put. Lastly, Tongan Meleane Falemaka is slated to compete in the women’s F38 discus on Friday night.