Road to Paris: Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu

Paris 2024, which kicks off this week, promises an unforgettable experience for all competitors and spectators including those from the Pacific.

The Olympics gives Team Pacific a chance to move beyond their own struggles while showcasing their talent and culture on the world’s biggest sporting event.

Against the majestic backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, we will preview, schedule, and bring you the stars to watch from the Pacific Island nations.

Papua New Guinea

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

Athlete to watch: Swimmer Georgie Leigh-Vele will compete in the women’s 50m freestyle at the Olympics. It will be the 25-year-old’s first appearance at the Olympics, and she will join Gibson Mara (men’s +80kg Taekwondo) as flag bearers for PNG.

Georgia Leigh-Vele will represent Papua New Guinea at the Paris Olympics. Photo/Facebook.

Leigh-Vele, from Kalo Village in Central Province, impressed with her swimming performances at last year's Pacific Games and this year's Oceania Championships.

During the Pacific Games in Honiara last year, Leigh-Vele told ABC Pacific what goes on in her mind before she races.

"And right before a race, I think it's just thinking about what you've got to do and just believing in yourself, that you've put in the work and you belong there, and you can do it no matter what.

“What's the worst that can happen? You don't swim that fast? But you're there. You made it. You've made your way there, you deserve it."

Collecting silver and bronze medals across six different events at this year’s Oceania Championships marks Leigh-Vele as one of the most exciting swimmers coming out of the Pacific.

Team Papua New Guinea: Josh Tarere (men’s 100m freestyle), Kevin Kassman (men’s 68kg Taekwondo), Gibson Mara (men’s +80kg Taekwondo), Morea Baru (men’s -61kg Weightlifting).

Vanuatu

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

Athlete to watch: Weightlifter Ajah Pritchard Lolo is competing in the women’s 81kg division. She will become the first ever female weightlifter to compete for Vanuatu at the Olympic Games.

Ajah Pritchard-Lolo will represent Vanuatu in weightlifting at the Paris Olympics. Photo/Facebook

Ajah's path to Olympic qualification has been paved with notable competitive achievements. Her standout performance at last year’s Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands yielded impressive results, including three silver medals and one bronze across the snatch, clean and total events.

Pritchard Lolo has also featured in several tournaments including the IWF Senior World Championships, the U23 Junior & Youth Oceania Weightlifting Championships, and in the North Island Weightlifting Championships in Auckland.

Upon learning of her Olympic qualification, the 21-year-old athlete wants to be a trailblazer for Vanuatu in weightlifting.

She expressed excitement on social media announcing the news.

“Thank you thank you thank you everyone who has supported us this past year through the campaign. Forever grateful for all the support. The hard work doesn’t stop here!! Just over a few weeks until we’re in Paris, the hard work will be amping up even more now. And I’m ready for it!!! Vanuatu is on its way to the biggest stage there is. I’m ready & proud to represent us up there!!”
Team Vanuatu: Hugo Cumbo (men's under -81kg judo, Jonathan Silas (men's 100m freestyle), Loane Russet (women's 50m freestyle), Pricilla Tommy (women's singles table tennis).

PMN's Olympics coverage is proudly brought to you by the Pasifika Medical Association Group.