TASANOC approved 3 sports for the 5th Asian Martial Arts & Indoor Games Featured
1 September, 2017. The office of TASANOC has said that the Board at its meeting of Friday 25th August has approved 3 sports to participate at the 5th Asian Martial Arts and Indoor Games (AMAIG).
The 3 sports were Swimming, Taekwondo and Weightlifting.
According to TASANOC office, the invitation for Tonga (through TASANOC) to take part was from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to Dr Robin Mitchell, President of Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC).
A team and representatives from Oceania were invited to Ashgabat in 2015 as it was the first time that another region (Asia) has invited a different region (Oceania) for its major sporting event.
However, the office said that not until ONOC’s General Assembly this year in Nadi that the CEO of the AMAIG2017 announced that the Organizing Committee would cover cost for 500 athletes and correspondence officials from Oceania.
As it worked out, Tonga was entitled to enter athletes in various disciplines in Swimming, Taekwondo and Weightlifting.
Tonga’s athletes for the Games are as follows. From Swimming, Noelani Day, Charissa Panuve, Finau ‘Ohuafi and Andrew Lapuka; Taekwondo, Mele Paseka, Konifalanisi Sisifa, Sione Tufi, Luke Uhi; Weightlifting, Sateki Langi.
The accompanying officials are Vila Day, Tevita ‘Ohuafi (SWM), Master Baik, ‘Uluaki Sitapa (TKW) and Michael Bloomfield (WGL).
The Chef de Mission is ‘Amanaki Fakakovikaetau.
TASANOC office said that the opportunity to continue to develop athletes and officials through these high level Games are valuable especially looking ahead to 2019 Pacific Games and qualification to the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020.
Further, the participation of Oceania will be reviewed with a view of inviting them again to the main Asian Games next year, which is bigger than the Olympic Games in terms of programs and number of athletes.
The members of Team Tonga for the Games will start departing on Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th September via Nadi and Bangkok.
