By Eleanor Gee

Beach Volleyball players, Tio Fonohema and Semisi Funaki have partnered for the first time to represent Tonga at the Pacific Games in Samoa next month.

The pair will be looking to win a medal at the games and were practicing their sets at the beach volleyball court at Popua Park on 18 June, with Head Coach Esafe Hema Latu, Assistant Coach Blake Kaitu’u, and Strength and Conditioning and Technical Assistant ‘Ekitino Vaiangina.

Tio, who is from Ha’alalo, brings a wealth of experience to the team having represented Tonga many times.

The 47-year-old has also won medals in the past including Silver at 2003 Pacific Games in Fiji, Gold at the 2005 Pacific Mini-Games, and Bronze at the 2007 Pacific Games in Samoa.

Semisi (29) from Fua’amotu, is an upcoming player who represented Tonga at the 2017 Mini-Games in Vanuatu where he played for the bronze medal but narrowly lost.

Heach Coach, Esafe told Matangi Tonga the players are aiming for a gold medal and that previous beach volleyball teams have almost always been in medal contention at past games.

“These two players are the best beach volleyball players in Tonga.”

Esafe is also happy with the level of training underway at the moment at Teufaiva Stadium and out on the beach volleyball court. The pair train on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

“This is one of the best training programs we’ve had organized by the Tonga Sports Council,” he said.

The athletes have been training for two months under the program which includes separate training sessions held at Teufaiva Stadium on certain days.

“In the late afternoons, we are at the [beach volleyball] court to work on the players skills and techniques.”

He said for the first time, the athletes are able to train on a proper beach volleyball. He said there was a court at Fangaloto they used but it was not built very well and there was only a thin layer of sand on the court which did not last.

“We used to go to the beach, which is sloped, to practice. But now we have a proper court, which was built about four months ago and I’m really happy with it.”

The team will depart Tonga on 5 July for the Pacific Games.