Pacific Games 2023: Samoa jumps on medal tally, but New Caledonia in control at the top

Samoa was the biggest mover on the 2023 Pacific Games Medal tally after end of competition on Tuesday in Honiara, but New Caledonia remains in control at first place.

More medals will be decided on Wednesday as the different competitions continues, including archery, basketball, golf, rugby league 9s, sailing, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball and weightlifting all continue their competitions.

Team Samoa jumped from ninth position on the tally after Monday's rounds of different matches to third into the second day of medals challenges.

They now sit with eight gold medals, one silver and one bronze for a total of 10 medals, two places behind leaders New Caledonia.

Gold medals from the weightlifting competition gave the Samoans enough to jump the ladder, with weightlifting sensation Vaipava Nevo Ioane leading the show.

Nevo made his return to the Pacific Games on Tuesday and showed just why he is among the best weightlifters in the region, sweeping all three medals in the men's 67kg division at Maranatha Hall.

He lifted166 kilograms in the clean and jerk, adding 120kg in the snatch, while setting a new Oceania record.

"I feel great and happy to represent Samoa and I'm just thankful to the father above for the strength and also for all these victories in my career," he told Pacific Games media after his win.

He also set a new Oceania record in the process.

His fellow countryman John Tafi also added three gold on the day in the 73kg category and set a new Games and Oceania record as well.

New Caledonia still leads with 17 gold, following wins in weightlifting, judo and swimming.

Australia are now placed second with 11 gold medals.

Australia shared two gold medals each with Tahiti and New Caledonia on Tuesday's final day of judo.

Anneliese Fielder came out victorious in the women's 52kg, beating New Caledonia's Joy Quemener to win Australia's first gold of the day on the mat.

Tonga comeback in women's football

A dramatic comeback from the Tonga women's football team saw them record a 2-all draw against Tahiti in their opening match at the 2023 Pacific Games at the Lawsom Tana Stadium in Honiara on Tuesday despite playing with only 10 players.

While Tahiti had taken a 2-0 lead at halftime and Tongan goalkeeper Madison Tenifa given the marching order in the fifth minute of the game, the Matalupes fought back to level terms before the end of the match.

The star for the team was Ana Polovili, who scored a double towards the end of the match, keeping her team's hopes alive of qualifying for the knockout stages.

Goalkeeper Madison Tenifa was sent off after she was ruled to have obstructed a clear scoring opportunity for Tahiti.

Tahiti scored first half goals through Kiani Wong and Kohai Mai.

Tonga coach Mark Bell told the Pacific Games Media he was satisfied.

"Finishing with a draw and with only ten players is a good result. We were trailing by two goals but I encouraged the girls to keep fighting and our efforts paid off with two goals, to earn one point."

In the other women's match played on the day, Fiji defeated Vanuatu 3-2 and kept their chances of finishing in the top two from their pool with the hosts Solomon Islands.

In the men's competition Fiji and Tahiti played to a goal-less draw.

Fiji finished the game with 10 men after Tevita Waranaivalu was sent off the field for two yellow card offences.

Weightlifting Nauru

Nauru's Ditto Ika scooped three silver medals for Team Nauru in the men's weightlifting competition on Tuesday.

Ika also claimed a silver medal in the Oceania Championship also being held together with the Games competition.

The Nauru weightlifting team is in a rebuilding phase with any of their team members new to the Pacific Games.

They are still chasing a gold medal in the competition.

Past medal winners for the country include Marcus Stephens, who won gold medals at past Games, Oceania Championships, Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games.

Basketball deciders

Tonga defeated Papua New Guinea 67-46 in a pool match of the women's basketball competition but have failed to make the final stages.

Leading 30-26 the Tongans took control of the game in the last two quarters to romp home with their first win after three games.

But the win has come too little too late for the Friendly Islanders, who had lost 76-44 to Cook Islands on Friday and 62-44 to Tahiti on Monday.

Meanwhile, Fiji and Guam have qualified for the semifinals in the competition, the teams having to wait for the result of the Cook Islands and Tahiti game to confirm who their opponents will be.

In the men's competition Fiji defeated New Caledonia by two points, winning 68-66, PNG defeated Samoa 87-72 while Tahiti proving too strong for Tonga winning 71-64.

Medal tally