The Solomon Islands Taekwondo team, consisting of both able-bodied and para-athletes, has safely returned to the country after participating in multiple Taekwondo events held in Queensland, Australia from July 7-9.
Although the able-bodied Taekwondo athletes did not secure any medals in the Taekwondo ‘Australian Open and 5th World Taekwondo (WT) President’s Cup’, it was the country’s Para athletes who achieved notable success. Junita Tonowane, competing in the female 62kg category, won both a Silver and Bronze medal. Jeminah Otoa, competing in the 52kg category, secured a Gold medal, while James Gegeu Ingram, in the men’s 80 plus category, won a Bronze medal.
In total, Solomon Islands’ Para Taekwondo athletes won one Gold, one Silver, and two Bronze medals at the various Taekwondo events in Brisbane, Australia.
Junior Maetia, the Head Coach of the Solomon Islands World Taekwondo Union (SIWTU), expressed his appreciation for the exposure gained by the able-bodied athletes, despite not achieving the desired results. He emphasized the valuable experience gained from competing against higher-ranked international athletes. Maetia also expressed confidence in the team’s improvement leading up to the XVII Pacific Games in November.
Coach Lilly Lofana, the SIWTU Head Coach for Para athletes, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity given to the Para Taekwondo athletes to compete against world champions and win medals for the country. She praised the support provided by SINIS, the National Hosting Authority (NHA), and the government for the success of the trip.
Lofana also mentioned that the team is looking forward to another competition overseas in September and will continue working hard to improve in preparation for the upcoming XVII Pacific Games.
Junita Tonowane, who won the Silver and Bronze medals, expressed her honor in achieving success for the country and acknowledged the challenge of competing against world-ranked Para Taekwondo athletes. She thanked SINIS and the coaches for their preparation and expressed her commitment to further improvement in future competitions.
Nicholas Sulumae, an able-bodied Taekwondo athlete, thanked SINIS and the government for their support in providing accommodation and transportation during their tour in Australia. Despite the less-than-desired results, Sulumae expressed determination to improve through continuous training at the High-Performance Centre.
The team members collectively expressed gratitude for the support received and vowed to come back stronger in future competitions.
Overall, the Solomon Islands Taekwondo team’s participation in the Australian events was a valuable experience that contributed to their growth and development in the sport.
Source: SINIS
