Team Tonga welcomed by Rio 2016 Olympic Games Village Mayor ^Featured

In the Mayor’s Rep speech, he not only welcomed Team Tonga but he said, “that dream for each athlete started now and that the people and city of Rio extended a warm welcome to Team Tonga”.

Team Tonga was joined by Team Australia, Team Samoa and Team Vanuatu at the occasions which was marked by each country flag raising ceremony.

Before the start of the ceremony, Team Tonga was visited by the Governor General of Australia and his wife as well as the resident Australian High Commissioner to Brazil.

According to Takitoa Taumoepeau, Interim Secretary General-CEO of TASANOC, that Lord Vaea, President’s Representative and Paul Bragiel, Team Attache had arrived safely to Rio and that all other members of Team Tonga have now settled and continued with their respective preparation and training.

Team Tonga’s first event in the Rio 2016 will be the preliminary rounds for Archers, Karoline Tatafu and Arne Jensen which take place on Friday morning (5th August, local time) before the Opening Ceremony in the evening. It would be followed by Amini’s event in the pool (100m breast stroke) on Saturday 6th August (local time). Please kindly check the time difference between Rio and Tonga which is about 15 hours.

Both athletes and officials of the team are in good spirit. Team Tonga will join the other members of Oceania in a welcoming ceremony at the Oceania House later today. The event has been arranged and organized by ONOC.

The contact number in Rio (+55 21 974 052 663) for the Chef de Mission, Mike Bloomfield and (+55 21 993 588 038) for Takitoa.