By Everest Hala
Tonga’s champion shot put thrower ʻAtamaama Tuʻutafaiva (28) is aiming to throw her personal best this Saturday at the Polynesian Track and Field Championships in Auckland, New Zealand.
She is part of a 24-member Team Tonga currently in Auckland preparing for competition against the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tahiti, Tuvalu, Niue and host nation New Zealand.
The championships are delivered by Oceania Athletics for its Pacific federation members and will showcase some of the region’s top track and field talent.
Aiming for personal best
Competing at The Trusts Arena in Auckland, Tuʻutafaiva will take part in the Discus event before stepping into the circle for her headlined event, the Shot put.
She is aiming to surpass her personal best of 16.61 metres, a mark that secured her Gold at the 2019 Pacific Games.
Speaking to Matangi Tonga today, ahead of the meet, Tuʻutafaiva said her drive to succeed is deeply rooted in her upbringing.
“My motivation for pushing forward in what I do comes from growing up with humble beginnings,” she said. “I always strive for a better and brighter future, and that is what keeps me going.”
Natural gift
Tuʻutafaiva’s journey into athletics began unexpectedly while she was a Form 3 student at Tailulu College. What started as simply accompanying a friend to training soon revealed a natural gift.
“I used to go along to my friend’s practice without knowing that this was my talent,” she recalled. “When I tried it, I realised I had a niche for shot put and discus, and I started competing from there.”
Her early competitions included school events in Fiji in 2011. By 2013, she earned her first national call-up, representing Tonga at the Pacific Mini Games in Wallis and Futuna, where she placed fourth in the Shot Put with a throw of 12.55 metres and also competed in the Discus.
She describes that moment as the beginning of a journey she feels “blessed” to still be pursuing today.
Inspired by mother’s encouragement
Behind her strength in the throwing circle is a deeply personal source of inspiration, her late mother.
“Before my mother passed, she constantly reminded me to make use of my talent and never give up,” Tuʻutafaiva shared. “I carry those words with me into every competition and every day of my life.”
Her victories, she says, are never hers alone.
“Every time I win, I feel immense pride. I am proud to bring victory back for my King, my country, my church and my family. That feeling is pure joy.”
She also has a message for Tonga’s young people, “If you have potential or talent in sports or in any area of life, use it. Grow it. Do not belittle yourselves.”
Eight-time gold medallist
Tuʻutafaiva’s breakthrough year came in 2019. After claiming bronze at the Oceania Championships in Townsville, she went on to win gold at a Grand Prix meet in Lautoka (15.88m in Shot Put and 36.08m in Discus). Just nine days later, she captured gold at the Pacific Games in Apia with her personal-best throw of 16.61m.
Her performances earned her the Oceania Athletics Emerging Athlete of the Year (Female) honour.
In 2022, at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Mackay, Queensland, she threw 16.29m to secure the Senior Shot Put title, becoming the only Pacific Islander to win an individual senior championship at that meet.
Medal Record
Tuʻutafaiva is an eight-time gold medallist and has won a total of 15 medals across Shot Put and Discus.
Gold Medals (8)
1. 2014 Oceania Championships (U20 Shot Put), Rarotonga
2. 2014 Oceania Championships (Senior Shot Put), Rarotonga
3. 2017 Mini Pacific Games (Shot Put), Port Vila
4. 2019 Grand Prix (Shot Put), Lautoka
5. 2019 Grand Prix (Discus), Lautoka
6. 2019 Pacific Games (Shot Put), Apia
7. 2022 Oceania Athletics Championships (Senior Shot Put), Mackay
8. 2022 Pacific Mini Games (Shot Put), Saipan
Silver Medals (3)
1. 2017 Oceania Cup (Shot Put), Fiji
2. 2019, Oceania Cup (Shot Put), Townsville
3. 2023, Pacific games (Shot Put), Solomon Islands
Bronze Medals (4)
1.2015 Pacific Games (Shot Put), Port Moresby
2. 2017 Oceania Championships (Shot Put), Suva
3. 2019 Oceania Championships (Shot Put), Townsville
4. 2022 Pacific Mini Games (Discus), Saipan
