Two Tongans ready for an icy challenge [1]
Monday, December 15, 2008 - 17:00. Updated on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 16:06.
Two fearless young Tongan athletes have been selected to go to Germany to be trained in the Luge Sport in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
Fuahea Semi (21) a student at the USP Tonga campus, who comes from Pea, Tongatapu, won the finals of the selection process today after successfully sleding down a small hill at Mataki'eua. A second young man Taniela Tufunga (18) from the Tonga Defence Services also did well.
Taniela impressed the selectors so much that although they were only looking for one athlete they chose him as a second man who will accompany Fuahea to Germany for training.
The pair were chosen from 10 participants who took part in the public tryout held on Saturday, December 13.
Leafa Mataele Warrick, the manager of the athletes from the Makai Events Promotion Company, the initiator of this project, said she was impressed by Fuahea's performance on the hill.
Fuahea and Taniela demonstrated strength and courage and the coach Isabel Barschinski, a professional luger from Germany and Mathias Ihle, the CEO of Makai in Europe, rightfully selected them, she said.
"But only one can compete in the Winter Olympics if qualified but it is still good to send these two young men to Germany for training in case something happens to the other and also to have a buddy to train with him especially in a foreign country and environment," said Leafa.
Isabel said she too was impressed with the boys' performances and if they can sleigh down a small hill then they have enough confidence and courage to take on the next level, which is training on the actual luge ice tracks in Germany.
In this sport the athlete has to be fit and strong but most importantly he has to be fearless because he would be going down the icy track at 100 miles an hour, said Isabel.
The next step now for the young athletes is to prepare their travel documents at the same time continue some fitness training with Isabel before she leaves for Germany later in the week.
Germany
The boys are expected to arrive in Germany by mid-January 2009 and will train for one year. It is planned that by September the Tongan athlete should be ready to compete in international competitions, such as the Luge World Cup and to qualify for the games.
Next up is that the Tongan athlete will head for Vancouver in January 2010 to train in the Olympic sled tracks before the Winter Olympic Games begin on February 12-28.
Makai, an Events Promotion Company, in the United States took up the initiative to introduce a Tongan to the sport.