Photo: Supplied/Duken Tutakitoa-Williams
Niue boxer Duken Tutakitoa-Williams is setting his sights on gold at the next Olympic Games
Tutakitoa-Williams is Niue's first Commonwealth Games medalist after taking bronze at this year's Games in Birmingham, England. The New Zealand-born heavyweight is continuing his pursuit of success in the name of Niue.
"To become a world champion at least, you know go through the stages, the Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games, then fight, climb through the ranks and become a world champion," Tutakitoa-Williams said.
Tutakitoa-Williams says he needs to qualify for Paris 2024 first but he knows he has it in him to get there.
'Beautiful' Niue
The 23-year-old has arrived back in New Zealand after his first trip to the country he represented, Niue.
"It was beautiful, it was really good there ... experienced a lot of stuff, met a lot of my family, met lots of beautiful people over there, saw all of the beautiful beaches, just experienced the beautiful lifestyle," Tutakitoa-Williams said.
He hails from Liku and Hakupu villages on the eastern side of Niue.
"They treated me, my team, my coach and my father with lots of respect and love, treated us like kings," he said.
Duken Tutakitoa-Williams and daughter Reign holding medal. Photo: Supplied/Duken Tutakitoa-Williams
He stayed across the road from the wharf and walked there every morning to watch the sunrise by the water.
"Stuff over there moves really slow compared to here, like days over there are really long but they are spent well because there are a lot of beautiful things around.
"Being back in Auckland, days are gone just like that. I wake up, have all these things to do and before you know it it's already time to go back to bed," he said.
While he was in the country for the historic visit, he was awarded the National Honours and was recognised by the government with a Special Sports Recognition, something he said he is very proud of.
"It gives me lots of joy and that but the biggest thing that makes me most happy is my parents get to see their son achieve something like that," he said.
Grey Lynn proud
He grew up in Grey Lynn, Auckland. He is the middle child of five siblings and his parents Mike Holo Tutakitoa and Esa-Maree Williams are both from Niue.
Duken Tutakitoa-Williams and his mother, Esa-Maree Williams at Auckland Airport. Photo: Supplied/Duken Tutakitoa-Williams
"My whole life, they have sacrificed, I never really noticed it until I got older and started doing things myself of how much love, sacrifices everything that they put in to help me to be the person I am today, what they have done, I don't think I could repay them for that," he said.
Family is everything to Tutakitoa-Williams. Along with appreciating his siblings and parents support he hopes to pave the way for his daughter Reign so she too can dream big.
Before his success Tutakitoa-Williams faced some tough lessons.
He was hanging with his mates in a house in Grey Lynn, the area where his family home was.
"There were about six of us, we were all brown Pacific Islanders, the house got raided and we were let go free of charge …but I got my face put all over the news.
"Racism at its finest, that is exactly what it was," he said.
Not long after that, Michael Edward Byrne, known as Mickey B died.
"I lost my coach, my coach passed away but I didn't really get to mourn properly. He's the one who started me off boxing.
"What I've always dreamt of achieving in the sport I haven't done yet. So I feel like once I achieve that I think I can properly mourn.
"If it wasn't for him I would never be in this position," he said.
With the dreams Mickey B, his parents and Niue elders have instilled deep in his psyche, who knows what this 23-year-old will achieve next.
"Man don't give up, don't never ever give up, and that's what I did, regardless of what I did, regardless of what happens and what anybody does to you or says to you and I still take that with me now," Tutakitoa-Williams said.
Photo: 123rf/ Gary Webber