Fiji is the silver medal winner on day three of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France on 27 July 2024 in Paris. Photo: World Rugby / Mike Lee - KLC
Fiji 74th as the USA claims medal tally
The Olympic Games closed on Monday morning (NZT) in Paris, with the Pacific only managing one silver thanks to the Fijian men's sevens rugby team, who lost to France in the final.
Fiji shared 74th position on the medal tally with Cyprus, Jordan, Mongolia and Panama, who all had a silver each to their names.
The United States and China finished off with 40 gold medal each, but the Americans topped the table with 44 silvers also to their name. USA claimed a total of 126 medals.
China claimed 27 silver medals, and a total tally of 91 medals.
Australia was the best Oceania team on the medal standing, hauling in 18 gold, 19 silver and 16 bronze.
Hosts France finished fifth with 16 gold medals and a total of 64 medals.
New Zealand claimed 10 gold, seven silver and three bronze, finishing 11th.
Fiji's Venice Traill (in red) in action in the taekwondo women’s +67kg Round of 16. Photo: Photo: ONOC / Casey Sims
Fiji's Traill turns to coaching after Olympics debut
Fijian taekwondo athlete, Venice Traill, says the Paris Olympics was her last international competition.
Traill, who made her Olympics debut on Sunday night, lost 2-0 to Great Britain's Rebecca McGowan in the women's +67kg Round of 16.
She told FBC Sports in Paris that she will turn her focus to coaching the sport in Fiji.
"I am looking towards coaching and managing the sport of Taekwondo back when I go home," she said.
"There are programmes in place where I can have this fulfilled. I'm so excited to go back and share whatever I've learned."
Traill told Oceania National Olympic Committee media team (ONOC Media) she was grateful for all the support she received throughout her journey.
"I have met a lot of people during my Olympic preparation, and here at the Games," she said.
"This is not the end. I will now focus on helping to develop Taekwondo back home.
"I've experienced what it's like at this level, and I want to help bring other athletes to the Olympic Games."
Despite not achieving the desired results, Traill is determined that her contribution to grassroots Taekwondo in Fiji will better prepare athletes for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.
"I know my body and what's expected of us," she said.
"I know we didn't produce the result we wanted, but I have the knowledge and will go back to train younger athletes. Fiji will come back stronger in LA 2028."
Traill was one of the Pacific Island athletes in action on the night.
Lolohea Navuga Naitasi of Fiji put up a brave fight but was eventually beaten by Julyana Alsadeq from Jordan in the women’s -67kg taekwondo event. Photo: ONOC / Kirk Corrie
Fellow Fijian, 17-year-old Lolohea Naitasi, competed in the women's -67-kilogram Round of 16.
Also making her debut, she lost 0-2 to Jordan's Julyana Alsadeq.
But ONOC media said Naitasi "put up a brave fight but was eventually beaten".
Although Naitasi lost to Alsadeq, she remained proud of her performance.
"It was so great," she told ONOC media.
"I loved the support from the Oceania family, and it was an incredible experience. I felt so overwhelmed and happy to be there. It was the greatest match I've ever had in my whole career.
"The crowd was so supportive, I felt warmth. I was nervous as soon as I entered the mat, but when I heard the cheering and support, I told myself to just enjoy it and give my best."
Like any athlete making their Olympic debut, Naitasi admitted she was nervous.
PNG's Gibson Kaogo Mara (blue) made his Olympic Games debut on Sunday night. Photo: Casey Sims/ONOC Photo: ONOC / Casey Sims
Papua New Guinea's Gibson Kaogo Mara took the battle to Kasra Mehdipourne - representing the Refugee Olympic Team, in their men's +80kg qualification event.
Mara won the first round, before Mehdipourne came back to win the next two rounds and take the win.
Mara was the second male taekwondian to represent PNG at an Olympic Games, after Maxemillion Kassman in 2016.
Samoa's Don Opeloge struggles in the snatch event at the Paris Olympics on Saturday night. Photo: ONOC / Kirk Corrie
Lifters in mix results
In weightlifting, Samoa's strongman Don Opeloge was a disappointment, finishing his challenge without a lift in the 102kg snatch.
Opeloge could not lift the 170kg weight he attempted three times and was disqualified from the event.
He previously won gold in the 96kg event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and silver in the men's 85kg at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
While the outcome was not what he had hoped for, Opeloge told ONOC media he is determined to train harder.
"I will never forget this experience, but it is what it is," he remarked.
He apologised to the people of Samoa, his family, and his coaching staff for the unexpected performance.
"I was feeling strong. Everything was okay during my warm-up," he said.
"I just don't know what happened, and I'm sorry," Opeloge explained.
Iuniarra Sipaia competes the at Paris 2024, in the women’s +81kg weightlifting event and finished 11th overall. Photo: ONOC / Kirk Corrie
But his training partner and Team Samoa mate Iuniarra Sipaia, finished 11th in her +81kg category.
She was the final athlete from across the Pacific region to compete at Paris 2024.
Sipaia lifted a total of 265kg.
Despite battling a hip injury, Sipaia told ONOC media she was determined to represent her country.
The 31-year-old athlete finished with 105kg in the Snatch and 141kg in the Clean and Jerk.
In addition to competing, she also had the honour of serving as Samoa's flag bearer during the opening ceremony of Paris 2024.
"I'm excited. I feel good. I just tried my best," she said.
It was really hard for me. I have a hip injury that affects my right knee but I wanted to make my country proud."
While she did not achieve a personal best as she had in previous competitions, Sipaia was grateful for the opportunity to make her Olympic debut.
"I appreciate myself for handling my injury. Thanks to all my supporters at home-my family and those who made it here," she added.
Vanuatu's Ajah Pritchard-Lolo also made history on Saturday night by becoming the first female weightlifter from her country to compete in the Olympic Games.
The 23-year-old competed in the women's 81kg event and finished 11th overall, with a total lift of 197kg.
Australia's Fijian lifter Eileen Cikamatana, who was also in the running for a medal, finished fourth in the women's 81kg.
She told the media she was disappointed with her performance.
"I had a good session in the snatch but then just dropped the ball in the jerk," she said.
"The coach did a great job of selecting the weights, they knew what to do but it was just me. I didn't deliver the job and do what I was supposed to lift.
"It's pretty disappointing not to be on the podium. But it happens - we have good days, we have bad days. It was just a bad day, especially in the clean and jerk. It was not my day.
"We've worked so hard to be where we are today. But it's life, I can't say much about it ... I didn't deliver."
New Zealand's Tongan lifter David Liti also failed to make it past the rounds in his weightlifting event.