Teremoana Teremoana celebrates his win in Paris. Photo: AAP Photo: AAP
Australian superheavyweight boxer Teremoana Teremoana could become the third boxer with Pacific Island heritage to win a medal at the Olympic Games.
David Tua was the first boxer with Pacific Island (Samoan) heritage to win a medal at the Olympics, claiming bronze for New Zealand at the 1992 Games.
Tonga's Paea Wolfgramm was the second Pacific Island boxer to win a medal at the Olympics, claiming silver at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
No other Pacific boxer has been able to follow suit.
Teremoana, who has links to the Cook Islands, stopped Ukraine's Dmytro Lovchynskyi in the first round in Paris on Tuesday morning (NZT), paving the way for him to continue his dream of creating his own history.
Teremoana dominated the men's +92kg preliminary round clash, knocking down Lovchynskyi early on before he finished him off with about half a minute left in the first round, according to reports.
The win was a piece of sweet revenge for Teremoana, who had lost on points to Lovchynskyi last September.
The win sets up a blockbuster quarter-final clash for the Australian against the defending gold medallist, Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan, on Saturday.
After becoming Australian super heavyweight champion in 2023, he punched his ticket to Paris, beating Samoan Elijah Mercury-Leafa at the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands last November.
Teremoana Teremoana celebrates his win in Paris. Photo: AAP
Teremoana said in a message to his fans that he was grateful for the support he had received from his family, friends, sponsors, Team Australia and fans.
"I did not get into this position by myself," he said.
"I will give everything I can to win this gold medal. I know I've got it in me to do so."
Speaking to Olympics media earlier, Teremoana said he will be representing his family and he is focused on finishing on top.
If he does achieve the ultimate prize, he will be doing so once again for his family and to ensure the Teremoana name is remembered.
"I just want to represent us in life. That's my goal," he said, adding "I want to put our name into history forever."
"When I achieve a gold at the Olympics, I will have succeeded."
New Zealand were too powerful for Fiji in their final pool game on Tuesday morning. Photo: ONOC / Kirk Corrie
Fijiana fails in Paris
The Fijiana women's sevens rugby team have failed to live up to expectations at the Paris Olympics, going through two days of competition without a win.
Losing to China 40-12 in their second pool game was a major upset in pool play.
Then a 28-22 defeat at the hands of Brazil means the side will now have to fight off for 11th and 12th position against South Africa on Wednesday morning, New Zealand time.
The Fijians had finished in the quarterfinals at the 2016 Olympics and won bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2020.
But they failed to function in Paris in their last four games so far.
They lost 14-17 to Canada, 12-40 to China and 7-38 to New Zealand in pool play.
Meanwhile, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America will battle for the two finals spots on Wednesday morning.
New Zealand will battle the USA while Australia and Canada will clash in the second semi.
Newcomers China will meet Great Britain in the fifth to eighth position play-off early Wednesday.
Kiribati’s Nera Tiebwa (White) against Ukraines Daria Bilodid (Blue) during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Women’s 57kg Judo Competition on 29th July, 2024 at the Champ De Mars Arena in Paris, France. Photo: ONOC Communications / Kirk Corrie
No wins yet
There were no wins for the Pacific Island athletes at the Paris Olympics competition on Tuesday morning.
Samoan boxer Ato Faoagali lost his men's 92-kilogram bout against his Belgium opponent, in a 5-0 decision.
In Judo, Samoa's William Tai Tin, 15-year-old Nera Tiebwa from Kiribati and Guam's Maria Escano failed to make it past their preliminary events.
Fiji's Vicky Wu, the first male to represent Team Fiji in table tennis at an Olympics, also failed to make it past his first game.
Vanuatu's Priscilla Tommy also lost her table tennis clash against USA's Amy Wang.
Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali Team Samoa Men’s Boxing in the Olympic Games on the 28 July 2024 at the Paris North Paris Arena in Paris, France Photo: ONOC Communications / Casey Sims
Meanwhile, Team Papua New Guinea's competitions will continue with swimmer Josh Tarere in the 100m Freestyle, athlete Leonie Beu in the 100 metre on Friday, August 2 and swimmer Georgia-Leigh Vele in the 50m Freestyle on Saturday, August 3.
Weightlifter Morea Baru will compete in the 61kg division on Wednesday, August 7, followed by Taekwondo athletes Kevin Kassman, in the -68kg division on Thursday, 8 August and Gibson Mara, in the +80kg division on Saturday, 10 August.
Team Vanuatu will have Jonathan Silas competing in the men's 100m freestyle, while female sprinter Chloe David gets to run her first race on Friday in the 100m sprint.
Loane Russet will appear in the women's 50m freestyle on Sunday, while weightlifter Ajah Pritchard-Lolo competes in her 81kg competition also on Sunday.