2019 Pacific Games

Nauru's Nitram Dagagio won gold in the under 74kg, with Papua New Guinea winning silver and Kiribati bronze.

In the 83kg category, Nauru also took gold and silver, with Tahiti winning bronze.

In the up to 93kg category, Nauru's Jesse Roland again took gold, with Tahiti (Miguel Hopuetai) taking silver and bronze going to New Caledonia’s (Frederick Warsdi).

Roland said: "I am very happy about the result, and of course this is what I was dreaming of - to take home my gold medal."

The four-day event has been staged at Don Bosco Hall, Salelologa, with finals happening on Friday.

For 19-year-old Solomon Islands’ Pemberton Lele, his progress to the finals has been about building skills. He is the only member from his team to make it to the finals, following a toe-to-toe fight against Elia Rokobuli from Fiji in the 60kg lightweight event.

“I have learnt to fight strong and new skills from other boxers I have fought and seen in the last few days,” he said ahead of his final.

In a thrilling contest at Apia Park Stadium, Tabakaucoro was victorious in 20.87 seconds, inches ahead of Dodson who finished in 20.91 seconds. Papua New Guinea’s Theo Piniau snatched bronze in 21.70 seconds.

Both Tabakaucoro and Dodson fell after crossing the finish line, sending the medics out onto the field.

The Fijian admitted he was feeling very sore after the competition. “I expected to finish strong but not to fall over like that, but it just shows the level of competition here,” Tabakaucoro told the Pacific Games News Service.

Cook Islands booked a place in the final by defeating Papua New Guinea 58-31 at the Multisport Centre, Faleata, urged on by their boisterous fans.

“This is great for Cook Island netball. Last time we were in a gold medal match was 1991. We have a huge support base, both here and at home,” said coach Suzanne Evans.

Both teams entered the game undefeated from pool matches. Cook Islands took the lead and kept PNG goaled for the first four minutes.

New Caledonia continue to lead the medals table from host nation Samoa, while a strong showing on the track lifted Papua New Guinea into fifth overall.

Papua New Guinea won six medals on the first day of athletics, including gold in the men's 3000m steeplechase and the women's 5000m.

That was enough to lift the reigning Pacific Games champions above Australia into fifth place overall with 13 gold, 22 silver and 13 bronze medals.

New Caledonia's shooters were on target in the team 25m short pistol to bring their total haul to 43 gold and 94 medals in all.

The crowd exploded in cheers as Samoa's medal-winning Lauren Sale readied herself on the block for the women’s 200m individual medley, the first race of the evening.

Matelita Buadromo of Fiji had a strong showing during the preliminary rounds and New Caledonia’s May Toven looked to podium as well. The buzzer sounded and the women were off.

That event was won by Australia and Kiribati walked away with the silver medal.

Doguape also clinched a bronze medal with a lift of 150kg in the Clean & Jerk event.

His compatriot, Ika Aliklik also won bronze in the Snatch event.

Kiribati lifter, Taretiita Tabaroua won the gold medal in the event.

Nauru also won bronze in the Oceania Championship also underway in Apia.

At the end of day 4 of competition, Nauru was placed in 7th place with 5 gold, 1 silver and 8 bronze in the overall medal tally.

Maxima Uepa won 2 gold medals and a silver in the women’s 71kg event.

Uepa lifted a total of 191 kg to beat Kiribati and Papua New Guinea.

She won silver in the 71kg Snatch with a lift of 86kg behind Australian Ebony Gorincu.

Uepa also won gold in the Clean & Jerk with a lift of 105kg.

Her compatriot, Ezekiel Moses collected bronze medals in the men’s 67kg event with a total lift of 260kg. The gold went to Samoa, while Kiribati walked away with the silver medal.

In the Snatch event, Moses lifted 116kg and 145kg in the Clean & Jerk event.

In Tuesday’s pool matches at Apia Waterfront, Tuvalu’s Saaga Malosa and Amalamo Talake defeated PNG’s Richard Batari and Loi Walo in straight sets, although the PNG pair are not the same players that won gold at the Port Moresby XV 2015 Pacific Games.

Along with the rest of Team Tuvalu, Malosa and Talake endured a three-day voyage to reach Samoa. They only arrived on Saturday before attending Sunday night’s opening ceremony and going straight into action on Monday.

Brechtefeld won gold in the 55kg Snatch and Clean & Jerk category at Faleata Sports Complex.

Papua New Guinea won the silver medal while Solomon Islands took out the bronze.

Daniella Ika won bronze in the women’s senior 45kg category.

She bronze in the women’s senior 45kg Class Snatch.

Photo Samoa Weightlifting Fed