Tonga's archery team shines in Palau

Tonga archers (right 3) at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau. July 2025. Photo: TASANOC.

Reporting from Team Tonga in Palau

Tonga's archers shone at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Koror, Palau, winning 10 medals, including two golds for Arne Jensen. The archers, who returned home Monday at the end of their competition, are leading Team Tonga's medal standings. By Tuesday, Team Tonga had won 15 medals across several sports. Tonga Women's 3x3 basketball will meet PNG in the semi-finals, before the games conclude with a closing ceremony today, Wednesday, 9 July.

The outstanding archery team secured two gold, five silver, and three bronze medals, in individual and mixed team events.

On Tuesday a massive throw from Ata Tu'utafaiva secured gold for Tonga in the Women's shot put.

Ata Maama secures gold for Tonga in the Women’s Shot Put, Pacific Mini Games, Palau. July 2025. Photo: TASANOC.

There are 33 athletes in Team Tonga, across seven sports including archery, swimming, basketball 3x3, weightlifting, ahletics, table tennis, and beach volleyball. Tonga has also secured its first-ever table tennis medal at a Pacific Games.

Archery

Gold medalist, archer Arne Jensen. Palau July 2025. Photo: TASANOC.

Gold for Tongan archer Arne Jensen at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau. July 2025. Photo: TASANOC.

Arne Jensen won two gold medals in the Men’s Compound 720 Ranking Round and Matchplay, and a silver in the Mixed Team Compound with Halamehi Tangulu.

Halamehi Tangulu also earned a silver in the Mixed Team Compound with Arne Jensen.

Anna Fifita secured two silver medals in the Women’s Compound 720 Ranking Round and Matchplay, and two bronze medals in the Women’s Recurve 720 Ranking Round and Matchplay.

Victory Pekipaki won a silver in the men’s Recurve Matchplay.

Luisa Pongi achieved a silver in the Women’s Recurve 720 Ranking Round.

Esela Mounga earned a bronze in the Men’s Compound Matchplay.

Tonga archery team celebrating success at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau. July 2025. Photo: TASANOC.

Tonga archery team at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau. July 2025. Photo: TASANOC.

Tonga archery team at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau. July 2025. Photo: TASANOC.

Silver and bronze for Tongan archers at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau. July 2025. Photo: TASANOC.

Athletics

Manatu Hafoka claimed a bronze medal in the Women’s Heptathlon with 3,228 points. Meanwhile, the athletes returned to the track and field today, 7 July.

Basketball 3x3

Both men's and women's 3x3 basketball teams are performing exceptionally well. The men’s team has a record of 7 wins out of 9 games, including three consecutive wins on Saturday against the Solomon Islands, Tahiti, and Samoa.

The women’s team has dominated with 10 wins from 11 games.

Tonga women's basketball 3x3 Girls Team – Undefeated Champions, at the Pacific Mini Games, Palau. July 2025. Photo: TASANOC.

Table tennis

Para-athlete Luani Moeakiola has qualified for the finals in their division, and also competed in the mixed event with Malia Ma’asi, the youngest member of Team Tonga.

Para-athlete Luani Moeakiola has qualified for the finals in table tennis, andalso competed in the mixed event with Malia Ma’asi, the youngest member of Team Tonga. Palau. Photo: TASANOC.

Swimming

The swimmers achieved personal bests: Alexandra Villami improved by 6.12 seconds in the Men’s 100m Freestyle, while Luseane Latai Limoni finished third in her heat with a 3.16-second personal best in the Women’s 100m Freestyle.

Carolann Faeamani and Charissa Panuve also performed well.

The Mixed 200m Freestyle Relay team (Finau, Carolann, Alexandra, and Charissa) completed their race in 1:50.33 (short course).

Beach volleyball

Ti'o Fonohema and Fono Vaitafa, Team Tonga's beach volleyball pair, secured a straight-sets victory (21-12, 21-9) against Kiribati.

The Pacific Mini Games will hold a closing ceremony on Wednesday, 9 July.

Tonga's Medals Standings on 8 July:

Ofa Tuifua earns Tonga a bronze medal in the Women’s 400m Hurdles. Pacific Mini Games, Palau. July 2025. Photo: TASANOC.

Team Tonga led by flagbearer, Ti’o Fonohema, a beach volleyball veteran who won gold at the 2005 PMG also held in Palau, at the opening ceremony of the Pacific Mini Games in Palau. 28 June 2025. Photo: TASANOC.