(From L-R) Solomon Islands World Taekwondo Union (SIWTU) head coach Junior Maetia, Australia's Taekwondo Gold medalist and coach Bianca Scurry, and SIWTU Assistant head coach Gibson Sira at the High Performance Centre in Honiara. Photo: SINIS
Australian coach helps Solomons Taekwondo team
The Solomon Islands national Taekwondo squad is training under Australian Taekwondo gold medallist and coach Bianca Scurry for a week.
Scurry, who is from Melbourne, arrived in Honiara on Monday and went straight into helping the squad at the High Performance Facility in Honiara.
Having being involved as a competitor and trainer for 20 years, Scurry told the Solomon Islands National Institute of Sports she is excited to be helping out as the Solomons squad prepare for the upcoming Pacific Games in November.
Fiji Juniors lose again
The Fijian Junior Bula football side lost their second game at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina on Wednesday, going down 3-0 to the United States.
It was their second loss also at the event, having gone down 4-0 to Slovakia at the weekend.
A brave first-half effort was not enough for the side after they had held the Americans goalless at halftime.
Fiji will play their final pool match against Ecuador on Saturday.
Vanuatu government budgets for Games' participation
Vanuatu's participation at the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands has received a major boost as the Vanuatu government approves a 50 million vatu (US$419,000) budget for them.
Seventeen sports teams will travel to Honiara to compete and each participant is required to pay 50,400 vatu by this month to the Solomon Islands organising committee as their participation fees.
Team Vanuatu Chef De Mission, William Worworkon, said they are also looking at sending athletes overseas to train and prepare for the Games which are being held in November.
Maliko scoops two 7s honours
A Samoan Sevens star has received two accolades at the World Rugby Sevens awards.
Vaa Apelu Maliko has won top try-scorer after running in 50 tries across his 62 matches in Sevens Series events in 2023.
He has also been named Impact Player - making 41 breaks, 122 tackles, 55 offloads and 214 carries.
Samoan team facing disciplinary body
Samoan football team Lupe ole Soaga SC has been referred to the Oceania Football Confederation's Disciplinary and Ethics Committee after pulling out of its final Oceania Champions League match.
Lupe could not play Auckland City citing player injuries.
Auckland were therefore awarded the game 3-0, although they had already qualified for the semi-finals.
Lupe had lost its previous two pool games.
Women's rugby champs
The four nation Oceania Rugby Women's Championship will kick off this Friday, 26 May in Gold Coast, Queensland.
Papua New Guinea faces Fiji while Samoa takes on Tonga.
The competition serves as a qualifier for the the World Rugby WXV tournament later this year.
Fiji and Samoa are the favourites to win the tournament.