Going for Gold: Team Pacific at the Paris Olympics

The world’s biggest sporting spectacle returns for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Paris Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad and branded as Paris 2024, takes place from 26 July to 11 August in France (27 July-12 August NZ Time).

Nine Pacific Island nations will be represented at this year’s Games. They include the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

A total of 44 athletes will be competing in over 30 different events spread across the City of Love.

Here’s a look at our participating Pacific athletes, and where you can find them during the Games.

Cook Islands

The Cook Islands is competing in their 10th consecutive Olympic Games, and this year they are sending three athletes to Paris.

Alex Beddoes will front up in the men’s 800m track and field race on 7 August at the Stade de France.

Wesley Roberts will feature in the men’s 100m freestyle swimming on 30 July at the Paris La Defense Arena.

Swimmer Lanihei Connolly will compete in the women’s 100m breaststroke on 28 July at the Paris La Defense Arena.

Alex Beddoes is will compete in the 800m track and field. Photo/Cook Islands media.

Fiji

This is the Fijians’ 15th Olympics and this year they are sending 32 athletes to Paris.

Gerard Takayawa will be competing in the men’s +100kg Judo event on 2 August at Champ-de-Mars Arena.

The men’s sevens rugby team will be defending their titles, won in 2020 and 2016 when the sport was introduced to the modern Olympics. The champions will face Uruguay in their first game on 24 July.

The women’s rugby sevens team is also in Paris for their third Olympics outing after winning the bronze medal in Tokyo in 2020. They take on Canada in their opener on 28 July.

Viliame Ratului is the lone male competitor for Fiji in the ILCA 7 Sailing event at the Marseille Marina. He is joined by Sophia Morgan who will be featuring for Team Fiji in the women’s ILCA 6 event.

Swimmers David Young and Anahira McCutheon will carry Fiji’s hopes in the pool at the La Defense Arena: Young in the men’s 50m freestyle on 1 August and McCutcheon in the women’s 50m free on 3 August.

Vicky Wu will be competing in the men’s singles Table Tennis event on 27 July at the South Paris Arena 4.

Lolohea Navuaga Naitasi will be at the Grand Palais competing in the women’s -67kg Taekwondo event on 9 August. Venice Traill will also feature for the Fijians in the +67kg event on 10 August.

Fijiana Sevens players at Nadi Airport before the team headed to Paris last week. Photo/Fiji Rugby Facebook.

Kiribati

This is Kiribati’s sixth consecutive Olympic Games, and this year they are sending two athletes to Paris.

Nera Tiebwa will be competing in the women’s -57kg Judo competition on 29 July at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.

Kaimaurii Erati will be competing in the men’s -61kg Weightlifting on August 7 at the South Paris Arena 4.

Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands will be competing in its fifth consecutive Olympics and three athletes are carrying the nation’s hopes.

Swimmer Philip Kinono is featuring in the men’s 50m freestyle event on 1 August at the Paris La Defense Arena. He will be joined by Kayla Hepler who will be competing in the women’s 50m freestyle on 3 August.

Women’s weightlifting will see Mattie Sasser competing in the -59kg event on 8 August at the South Paris Arena 5.

Marshallese Mattie Sasser will compete in the 59kg women's weightlifting event. Photo/Oceania National Olympic Committee.

Papua New Guinea

This will be Papua New Guinea’s 11th consecutive Olympic Games, and the Melanesian sporting giants are sending five athletes to Paris.

Josh Tarere will be taking on the world’s best in the pool when he competes in the men’s 100m freestyle swimming event on 30 July at Paris La Defense Arena.

Georgia-Leigh Vele is competing in the women’s 50m freestyle swimming on 3 August.

Kevin Kassman’s competing in the men’s 68kg Taekwondo event on 8 August at the Grand Palais. Gibson Mara is also competing in the Taekwondo event, men’s +80kg on 10 August.

Morea Baru is competing in the men’s -61kg Weightlifting on 7 August at the South Paris Arena 6.

Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands is also competing in its 11th consecutive Olympic Games, sending one athlete to Paris.

Boxer Pemberton Lele will be featuring for the Solomons in the men’s 63.5kg event on 27 July at the North Paris Arena.

Sāmoan boxer Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali with his father. Photo/Ato Plodzicki-Faogali.

Sāmoa

This is also Sāmoa’s 11th consecutive Olympic Games, and 24 athletes will carry the nation’s hopes in Paris.

Alex Rose will compete in the men’s Discus Throw on 3 August at the Stade de France.

Boxer Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali starts his competition in the men’s heavyweight division on 28 July at the North Paris Arena.

Judoka William Tai Tin is competing in the men's 73kg event on 29 July at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.

Sāmoa men’s sevens rugby team begins their campaign on 24 July against Australia.

Eroni Leilua will compete in the men’s ILCA 7 Sailing event at the Marseille Marina while swimmers Johann Strickland and Kaiya Brown will feature for Team Sāmoa at the Paris La Defense Arena.

Strickland is competing in the men’s 100m freestyle on 29 July and Brown in the women’s 50m free on 3 August.

In Weightlifting, Don Opeloge and Iuniarra Sipaia will carry Sāmoa’s flag at the South Paris Arena 6.

Opeloge will compete in the men’s 102kg event on 10 August. Sipaia in the women’s 81kg event also on the same day.

Wrestler Gaku Akazawa will compete in the men’s 65kg competition on 6 August at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.

Tonga

Tonga has competed in every edition of the Olympic Games, and this year they are sending three athletes to Paris.

Feofaaki Epenisa will compete in women's boxing’s 60kg division on 27 July 27 at the North Paris Arena.

Swimmers Alan Uhi and Noelani Day will be in action at the Paris La Defense Arena. Uhi in the men’s 100m backstroke on 28 July 28 and Day in the women’s 50m freestyle on 3 August.

Vanuatu

Vanuatu is competing in its 10th Olympic Games, with a team of five athletes this year.

Judoka Hugo Cumbo will feature in the men’s -81kg event on 30 July at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.

Swimmers Jonathan Silas and Loane Russet are going to be in action at the La Defense Arena. Silas will be competing in the men’s 100m freestyle on 30 July 30 while Russet in the women’s 50m freestyle on 3 August.

Priscilla Tommy is in the women’s singles Table Tennis competition on 27 July at the South Paris Arena 4.

Weightlifter Ajah Pritchard Lolo is competing in the 81kg division on 10 August at the South Paris Arena 6.

The opening ceremony takes place on 27 July (NZ Time) from 5:30am. Olympic Games Paris 2024 — Sky Sport Now - The Home of Live Sport in NZ

For tickets: Billetterie Officielle de Paris 2024 - Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques