Mixing sports and politics

Tonga’s bid to host 2019 Pacific Games reaches political climax SPORT has an uncanny ability to bring people together and build comradery lasting a lifetime, more so nowadays when those special moments can be

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Lift-off!

Sports tourism on the rise THE historic Super Rugby match between the Canterbury Crusaders and the Waikato Chiefs in Fiji’s capital, Suva, was just the thin end of the wedge. Played under lights in sometimes blinding

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Samoan boxer

JOSEPH Parker became the Pacific’s first world boxing champion after beat – ing Mexico’s Andy Ruiz in Auckland, New Zealand for the vacant WBO title. Now honoured as a matai, the New Zealand-born

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Copy of Elusive Olympic gold within reach

THERE’s an air of excitement and anticipation as Brazil gets set to host the 31st Olympic Games from 5-21 August. Never before has an Olympic gold medal been so close a reality for the tiny island nations of the

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Elusive Olympic gold within reach

THERE’s an air of excitement and anticipation as Brazil gets set to host the 31st Olympic Games from 5-21 August. Never before has an Olympic gold medal been so close a reality for the tiny island nations of the

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BEST OF 2015

The Rugby World Cup, Netball World Champs, World Sevens Series and the 15th Pacific Games dominated the sporting landscape this year, but Pacific athletes and teams made their mark in so many other arenas outside of

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Down but not out

Pacific unions respond to new IRB player rules The all-Pacific final between Fiji and Samoa in the opening leg of the 2014-2015 IRB World Sevens Series on Australia’s Gold Coast was a mighty statement to the

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Weightlifters bring home the medals in Glasgow

Pacific’s athletes brace for ANZAC invasion As predicted in our January 2014 edition, weightlifters proved to be the Pacific’s most successful athletes at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. They accounted for all

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Pacific rugby celebrates major breakthroughs

Regional powers qualify for World Cup Exciting times for Pacific rugby. The world champion New Zealand All Blacks will finally end their long hiatus of having never played on Samoan soil with an historic test in Apia

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The ‘Olympic Games’ for Micronesia

Guam to dominate track and field events Majuro — Twenty years ago, the only way to get a report on a Micronesian Games competition—or even just a baseball or basketball score—was to have someone ring

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Australia hails its Samoan World Cup star

Cahill wears his Pacific heritage with pride The only Pacific islander playing in the FIFA World Cup is not only representing Australia and his Samoan heritage. He’s also holding his own against the world’s

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Samoa-born Leapai loses fight but $1million richer

Declares “bigger, badder” comeback IT was a fight doomed to favour his opponent yet Samoan-born Alex Leapai entered the world stage ring with an outside chance. He had a few die-hard optimists in his corner

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