Two Tongan athletes at Rio Paralympics [1]
Monday, September 5, 2016 - 23:36. Updated on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:39.
Para-athletes Sione Manu and ‘Ana Talakai will represent Tonga at the Rio Paralympic Games, set to begin this Wednesday September 7. Both athletes are competing in the Javelin throw. Tonga has participated in every Paralympic Games since the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, but this time Tonga is sending more than one athlete to compete.
Sione Manu (37) from Nukunuku will compete in the Men’s Javelin Throw – F46 event. Sione is an accomplished Javelin and Shotput thrower, and has won gold medals in numerous regional events. He is an amputee with one arm.
‘Ana Talakai (31) will compete in the Athletics Women’s Javelin Throw – F12/13 event, and the Athletics Women’s Shot Put – F11/12. She is competing in the Paralympics B1 class events (visual impairment).
A competing New Zealand Paralympic athlete and swimmer Tupou Neiufi is of Tongan heritage.