2025 Pacific Mini Games: Tokelau’s lone athlete revives indigenous wrestling

A 40-year-old judo athlete from Tokelau is turning heads at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Koror, Palau, after entering the competition solo.

Speaking to correspondent James Nokise, Ilai Elekana Manu says he initially intended to attend the Games as a wrestling coach, but stepped in as a competitor when his under-20 athlete could not make it.

“In his place, I've decided to become an athlete. Because wrestling is for under-20s. I'm not under-20, so judo is the next closest thing,” Manu says. He represented Tokelau during the opening ceremony, marching alone with his flag to rounds of applause and cheers from the local crowd.

His appearance stood out among the 2000 athletes from over 20 nations at the Games, which began on 29 June and ends on 9 July. “I was feeling the love from all the people and even the athletes. They were really giving me a loud cheer and encouraging me as the only person here from Tokelau. I definitely felt the Pacific love there,” he says.

Manu previously represented Tokelau at the 2019 Pacific Games in Sāmoa and the 2023 Pacific Games in Solomon Islands. At the former, Manu was part of a two-man team competing in men’s judo under-73kg and lightweight divisions, while at the latter, he was the sole judoka and flag bearer.

“For me, the focus is trying to get more of our young people involved. We put the feelers out there, but unfortunately, it's been a little bit difficult to recruit. With judo, there's not a lot of Tokolauans participating in the sport.

Watch Ilai Elekana Manu’s 2020 interview about fagatua below.

“For wrestling in particular, there are links to our culture with fagatua - our indigenous form of wrestling. In saying that, fagatua is something that's kind of died off over the last 30 years or so. A lot of the knowledge around fagatua is sitting with our elders.

“So part of my journey and my passion is to revive that sport. I've been trying to encourage more of our young people to take up fagatua or wrestling. We have some young ones in the wrestling clubs now. So when they come of age as well to compete, I would love to have them represent Tokelau.”

Manu has been promoting traditional Tokelau wrestling for years, including releasing a book on it titled Fagatapu Tokelau. Currently, he is doing PhD research into the health and wellbeing benefits of fagatua, with a focus on its benefits for the youth.

Watch James Nokise’s talanoa with Ilai Elekana Manu below.

Despite being the sole representative for Tokelau at the Pacific Mini Games, Manu says training alongside teams from Vanuatu, Sāmoa, Nauru, and Palau has reinforced his sense of shared Pacific identity.

“It's been great coming here by myself. In one of the sessions there were no training partners. Not long after, we had the Sāmoa team roll up and the Marshall Islands team. I just joined right in, like I've been part of their team all this time.

“They're very welcoming. With judo, Vanuatu and Nauru scheduled training for our specific teams to come together to train. It's a big part of the spirit of Pasifika coming together to do those things.

“But also in these grappling sports, like wrestling and judo, it's a big part of the culture. Anywhere you go in a competition, Oceania usually will come together and if you need a training partner, it shouldn't be too difficult.”

Medal standings