From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 2, August 2002.

Tonga’s Judo champion ‘Epoki Faka‘osi was determined to add a Commonwealth Games medal this year to his achievements.

“If I do win a medal at the Commonwealth Games, then I am ready and set to go for the Olympics in Greece in 2004,” ‘Epoki said, before he left for Manchester.  

In order to qualify for the Olympics, he has to achieve top scores in the Commonwealth Games.

‘Epoki (21) has won eight international medals in the last four years. He was the first Tongan to win a gold medal in technical excellence in Judo in 1992 at the Wellington International Youth Tournament at the age of 13. But it was not until 1998 that the real training program of Judo started, and ‘Epoki began representing Tonga at international events, and at the South Pacific Games in Guam in 1998 he won a bronze medal.

‘Epoki traveled to the United States to do some last minute preparation before he joined the Tonga Team for the Commonwealth Games on July 25.

After the Games ‘Epoki said he would return to the United States where his wife and fellow judoka Sandra Atsuko Bacher is training.