Archer, Lusitania Tatafu (right) holds a New Zealand record of 146 points at 145m.

Archers, Lusitania Tatafu and Arne Jensen, are Tonga's hope for qualified athletes to represent the country at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), in Nanjing, China in August.

Lusitania (15) in the female category, and Arne (15) in the male category, will be striving to qualify during the Continental Qualifying Tournament in Auckland this month.

To qualify, one needs to shoot 600 points at 60 meters distance, with 72 arrows.

Lusitania has been progressing well since she started competing in regional competition in 2012. Arne is very keen to give it a go, according to the Tonga Archery Federation.

The 2014 Youth Olympic Games will run from 16-28 August.

NZ record

Lusitania started competing internationally when she was 13. She has competed at the 2012 New Zealand Nationals, the 2012 Oceania Championship, and the 2013 Australian Archery Open Championship. Lusitania's exposure to these international competitions, though she was still very much a novice, exposed her to the pressure and the high standard of performance that is expected of athletes at that level.

Last month at the 2014 New Zealand Nationals, Lusitania won a Gold Medal in Clout and set a new New Zealand record of 146 points at the 145 meters distance.

She also won a Bronze Medal in FITA Target in her age group, shooting at the distances of 70, 60, 50 and 30 meters.

Wildcards

Whatever is going to be the outcome of the Continental Qualifying Tournament in Auckland, Lusitania is one of four youths who have been awarded a Universality Place at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

The Chef-de-Mission of the Tongan team for the 2014 Youth Olympic Game Hans Jensen, this week informed national sports federations that Tonga has been awarded four Wild Cards, two female (Archery and Swimming) and two male (Boxing and Weightlifting).

The Youth Olympic Games is held every four years, and the Nanjing Games is the second time that it has been held.