Tongan wrestler eyes final shot at Olympic dream in Los Angeles

Utah Mann thought his Olympic dream was over. Now, the 31-year-old Tongan wrestler is preparing for the biggest run of his career, with the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles within reach.

The Māori, Tongan and Sāmoan athlete has spent the past few years building his wrestling career in New Zealand after first taking up the sport as a 12-year-old in San Diego, California.

A three-time New Zealand national champion representing Tonga, Mann has continued competing at the top level in Aotearoa, taking part in the 97kg senior freestyle division at the 2026 New Zealand National Championships in Auckland last weekend.

He is now looking ahead to a series of tournaments that could take him to the Games.

The Oceania Championships are scheduled for early next year, followed by the Australian Nationals before the World Championships in Las Vegas, where he will have his first chance to qualify for Los Angeles.

If he misses out there, Mann expects one final opportunity at the Africa-Oceania Qualifiers, which may be held in Egypt.

Wrestlers from across Oceania competed at the 2026 Oceania Wrestling Championships in Sāmoa, including athletes from Tonga and New Zealand. Photo/olympicwrestlingnz.com

“If I don’t qualify at that tournament, there will be one last chance at the Africa-Oceania Qualifiers, which I understand may be hosted in Egypt. If I finish in the top two there, I’ll qualify for the Olympics,” Mann said.

Wrestling is also building stronger pathways across Oceania. The 2026 Oceania Wrestling Championships in Sāmoa brought together more than 200 athletes from 13 Pacific countries, giving wrestlers across the region a chance to compete on the international stage.

Sāmoa coach and competitor Gaku Akazawa said his team's performance showed what could be achieved through continued development.

“This is a massive win for Samoan wrestling, and we are just getting started," Akazawa said during the Oceania Wrestling Championships in Sāmoa in March.

“They fought with heart from the mats at Tuanaimato to the sands of Maninoa, and they defended our home turf with honour. This is a proud moment for our Federation, our families, and our country.”

It is a long way from where Mann's wrestling journey began. Mann's parents introduced him to the sport as a way to help him deal with school bullies. Friends and family from church were involved with a local high-school wrestling programme and helped bring him into the sport.

“We were fortunate that some friends and family from church were involved with a local high-school wrestling programme,” Mann says. “They took me under their wing, and I jumped into wrestling from there.”

He lost every match in his first year. By the end of high school, he had become one of the top-ranked wrestlers in the United States. But the lack of a professional league and the fierce competition for Olympic places eventually made the dream seem out of reach.

The United States has 10 million registered wrestlers but only six Olympic weight classes. Mann continued training but by 19 or 20 had stopped believing an Olympic appearance was realistic.

Moving to New Zealand at the end of 2020 changed that. He found a pathway through Tonga and, under the guidance of the country's national coach, began representing the Kingdom in 2022.

Before competing under the Tongan flag, he had to secure the required certification and a Tongan passport.

“There are sacrifices, things you have to do to represent your country. I’m so grateful that my grandparents were born there and that, through the process, I was able to get a passport and the opportunity to represent Tonga.”

Utah Mann began wrestling at 12 in San Diego, taking up the sport after his parents encouraged him to learn it as a way to deal with school bullies. Photo/Facebook/Utah Mann

His connection to Tonga runs deep. His father and uncles played for Mate Ma‘a Tonga and Mann says representing the country gives him the chance to make history for both Tonga and his family.

In 2023, he became the first Tongan athlete to compete at the United World Wrestling World Championships.

Wrestling may seem a world away from rugby league but Mann sees plenty of crossover.

“Wrestling is woven into rugby league these days, with many NRL franchises employing wrestling coaches to improve tackling,” he says. “I think my family have enjoyed seeing the success it has brought.”

For Mann, the sport is ultimately about discipline rather than money or fame.

“There is no glory or big pay cheque at the end of the day, just hard training and a body that hurts. But the opportunity to represent my country and, ultimately, to have my hand raised before I retire is what keeps me focused and grounded.”

Utah Mann is preparing for the next stage of his Olympic qualification journey, with the 2027 World Championships among the key events on his path to Los Angeles 2028. Photo/Facebook/Utah Mann

After starting wrestling to stand up to bullies, he now has one final chance to reach the biggest stage.

"Whether I reach the qualifiers and fall short or go all the way to the Olympics, both would be fitting swan songs for something I started when I was 12 years old.”

Mann’s Olympic push continues over the next 18 months, starting with the Oceania Championships and Australian Nationals before the World Championships in Las Vegas, his first chance to qualify for Los Angeles 2028.

Elton Lonaratha Jnr is a journalism student at Wintec and is currently completing a six-week internship at PMN News.