New bout of dreams for Niue boxer after Paris knockout

A Niuean boxer based in Aotearoa New Zealand is heading to Russia to compete in the 2024 World Friendship Games, seen as the potential rival to the Paris Olympics.

Commonwealth bronze and Pacific Games gold medalist, Duken Holo Tutakitoa-Williams, has set his sights on Russia instead of the Olympics, after finding out Niue could not compete at the Summer Olympics.

Niue is self-governing in free association with New Zealand, and Tutakitoa-Williams said like many other smaller nations, it does not have a recognised National Olympic Committee.

Niue Island Sports and Commonwealth Games Association (NISCGA) is an associate member of the Oceania National Olympic Committees.

After winning a bronze medal at the 2022 Birmingham Games, the Niue team was aiming for gold in Paris 2024.

The team started their training camp for the Pacific Games in hope they would be able to qualify for the Olympics.

Five weeks in, Niue Sport held a meeting and told them Niue can't even qualify for the Olympics.

It was a big blow for the heavyweight boxer, who is in his 20s.

"You have all these dreams and goals, and you get told that there's no way of it happening," he said.

"So what do you do? You've got to keep moving."

They were told none of the weight classes they would compete in at the Pacific Games were Olympic qualifying categories.

"We still went out there to get gold anyway," he said.

Tutakitoa-Williams became the first Niue fighter to win gold at the Pacific Games.

But he was also aiming to have a chance at the Olympics.

"I would have loved to have gone; man, that would have been great too.

"There's been so many great boxing champions that never went to the Olympics, and they still became some of the greatest fighters in the world."

His upcoming trip has landed him some hard questions.

Friendship Games 'politically motivated'

The Olympic Committee has called on countries to avoid the Friendship Games.

Russia's Olympic Committee had been suspended by the International Olypmic Comittee in 2023 after Ukraine launched an anti-Russia Olympic campaign.

When questioned about Russia's war in Ukraine, Tutakitoa-Williams said he just wants to box.

"The Olympics should be about showcasing athletic skills, not political power," he said.

He describes the World Friendship Games as a substitute event for nations that are not heading to the Olympics.

Niue is a member of the International Boxing Association and was invited to compete in Russia.

The International Olympic Committee has labelled the World Friendship Games as politicising sport.

"The Russian government intends to organise purely politically motivated sports events in Russia," the IOC said in a statement.

"The Russian government created and funded the 'International Friendship Association' (IFA), in order to host the summer and winter 'Friendship Games'."

But Tutakitoa-Williams said that is not how the Friendship Games were sold to him.

"It's more beneficial for athletes. You don't win money for winning a medal at the Olympic Games, whereas in Russia, you can," he said.

(However, last month, World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe said the governing body would pay athletics gold medallists at the Paris Games US$50,000 each, in a move that signalled the end of 128 years of tradition.)

While Dukan Tutakitoa-Williams' situation is tough, he has grown a lot from it.

"Even though you might be faced with challenges, you can always find another way.

"And then you just keep on moving, keep progressing. Find a way to adapt, and then just never give up. Keep going and going."

He said he never could have imagined the deep joy he could spread through success in the sport.

Not only that, but his connection to Niue has billowed.

When asked about his family and his connection to Niue, he struggled to find the words to explain just how much the support means to him.

"It's a lot deeper. Having all these people give their time - it fuels my soul. Unbelievable but grateful for it too."