Tonga to send 16 athletes to Asia-Pacific Special Olympics [1]
Friday, May 10, 2013 - 15:30. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
Sixteen athletes from Tonga will participate in this year’s Asia-Pacific Special Olympics in Newcastle, Australia, from November 28 to December 7.
Over 1,700 athletes from 26 countries countries in the Asia-Pacific region will be participating in the event.
The Tongan athletes include eight males and eight females in various sports such as boccia and shotput.
The team is part of the recently established Special Olympic Association of Tonga (SOTA). The Association was spearheaded by Paul Stafford, the former CEO of the Digicel Tonga in 2011. The Special Olympics has been praised internationally for its “Global Mission” to “provide all-year round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disability.”
Eleven of the 16 athletes who have been named are:
Females
Senolita Kaufusi
Ane Tuikitei
Patiola Pahulu
Langalotu 'Alofi
Males
Felisiano Tangifua
Pauli Ma'afu
Maka Fonua
Sione Finau
Tevita Tilini
Manatu Paletu'a
Samisoni Manu
The Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968.
The Vice President of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific, Paul Lai, said “People with intellectual disabilities cannot boast a great success story around the world. Most live in poverty. Most are denied education. Most are unemployed. Most are lonely and shunned. If they were a nation, they would be 200 million people and the world's poorest. Their revolution still awaits.”
In Nuku'alofa SOTA is chaired by Sione Taumoefolau, and includes Michael O’Shanessy, Vanessa Heleta, Viliami Tufui, ‘Ana ‘Akau‘ola, Owen Thompson and Stephen Bannon.