Photos by Angus McClean

At the end of the day, Samoa who fielded 9 athletes and won 12 gold medals, eight silver and three bronze; while the host Tonga, who fielded 44 took nine gold medals, 13 silver and 18 bronze.

In addition to the athletic track and field events, there were also demonstration games of Bocca and Goal Ball.

The Minister of Health, Hon. Viliami Tangi, who opened the carnival and presented medals, expressed his strong support for disability sports in Tonga. He saw this as a way to not only help improve the lives of people living with disability, but also to increase Tonga...’s chances of winning medals at international sporting events such as the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.

In his closing address, Mr Nofovaleane Mapusua, Chef de Mission and Medal Winner of the Samoa Team, and the President of the Samoan Disability Council, "Nuanua o le Alofa" or Rainbow of Love, hailed the carnival a success because, "people living with disability were able to really express their ability rather than disability".