Pacific

Paralympics: No medals yet for Pacific para-athletes

10:28 am on 3 September 2024

Fiji's Irene Mar, red, lost in the play-off for a bronze medal in the women's taekwondo K44, 57kg round of 16 on Saturday. Photo: Facebook / Sang Hyun Ra

Pacific Island athletes at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris have not been able to win medals so far.

Seven athletes took part in para-taekwondo and para-athletics on Saturday and Sunday.

The closest that came to winning a medal was Fiji's Irene Mar, who lost in the play-off for a bronze medal in the women's taekwondo K44, 57kg round of 16 on Saturday.

Tenth-ranked Mar won her first round, winning 25 - 3 against 7th ranked Yuliya Lypetska from Ukraine.

But then she lost her second round match to second seed Gamze Gurdal and the repecharge play-off for the bronze medal.

PNG's Manega Tapari won her first round match in the women's K44, plus 65kg event but lost her Round of 16 match.

Tapari scored 16-10 against Louisette Flora Rene Kimoto Martha from Central African Republic in the roubnd of 32 but in the round 16 she went down 35-6 to Dalia Santiago Morena from Spain.

There were four Solomon Islands athletes who competed.

Oceania Paralympic Committee said Cosmol Maefolia made his debut in the Men's F38 Javelin at Stade de France.

He recorded a season-best throw of 25.62 meters but finished last in his event.

Junita Tonowane then competed in the women's 65kg. She lost 25-0 to Denmark's Lisa Gjessing at the Grand Palais.

Solomon Jagiri was up against Iran's Sadeghianpour Saeid in the Men's 63kg Round of 16 and lost with a score of 28-2, before James Ingram Gegeu faced off against Ramazanov Aliaskhab of Russia in the Men's 80kg category.

He also lost 16-0.

Six more athletes will be competing in athletics this week.

Vanuatu's Ken Kahu will compete in the men's F64 javelin while Kiribati's Ongiou Timeon will be in action in the men's F11 shotput - both on Tuesday morning.

Vanuatu's Ellie Enock is scheuled to compete in the women's F57 shotput on Thursday night, followed by Fijian duo Selina Seau and Naibili Vatunisolo in the women's F64 shotput.

Tongan Meleane Falemaka will be the last Pacific athlete to compete in the women's F38 discus on Friday night.

The Games will close on Monday morning (NZ Time).