Latest news with #Tongan-Kiwi
Scoop
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
NZ Team Flagbearer David Liti Lifts Through Grief To Win Double Gold At Pacific Mini Games
Aotearoa's champion Tongan-Kiwi weightlifter David Liti won two gold medals in the men's 110kg+ clean and jerk and the men's overall, and a silver in the snatch. , RNZ Pacific digital journalist in Koror, Palau Aotearoa's champion Tongan-Kiwi weightlifter David Liti has dominated at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games, bringing home two gold medals, in the 110kg+ clean and jerk and the men's overall, and a silver in the snatch on Saturday. Liti's performance was a boost for the New Zealand weightlifting team, who finished the Mini Games with a total of eight medals: two gold, three silver, and three bronze. The lead-up to the Mini Games, however, was anything but easy for Liti. The second youngest of eleven siblings, he has spent the past month grieving the loss of his mother Sisi Luisa to cancer. With limited time and focus for training ahead of the competition in Palau, Liti admitted he hadn't expected to perform at his best, or find success on the platform. 'I took a lot of time off…with my mum being sick and passing away in the last month,' he said. 'Mentally, it was a little bit tough, but I knew I had to come back for her. My mum would be angry at me if I didn't. 'It was a really awkward, weird, successful day,' Liti said. 'I did not come in expecting to take home gold, but with a little bit of last-minute plans and tactical plays outside in the back room, we managed to surpass all those hurdles and come out with the gold today.' In saying that, he came and did what he 'needed to do'. 'After these past few months,we did what we needed to do. We came into this slowly…I mean, there's always room for improvement. But today is done – whatever is done is done – and I'm happy,' Liti said. Looking ahead, Liti is focused on what's next, with the Commonwealth Championships in India just weeks away and bigger competitions, such as the 2026 Commonwealth Games, on the horizon. 'The build-up from now is to be at peak performance by India, which is another seven to eight weeks from here, and then just carry on to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,' Liti said. Patolo, Soloai also add medals Within the space of a year, Tui-Alofa Patolo and Judy Soloai have taken the weightlifting scene by storm while holding down full-time jobs and only recently stepping into the sport. Alongside Liti, teammates Patolo, 34, and Soloai, 30, added to the team's medal tally with three bronze medals. Soloai claimed bronze in both the women's 86kg+ clean and jerk and the overall total, while Patolo secured bronze in the 86kg+ snatch. The success of both has been impressive, with both weighlifters having only joined the sport within the year. Soloai said that she had initially got into it as a mental outlet. 'My full-time job is as a forensic mental health clinician in Hawkes Bay prison,' she said. 'I think with the mental capacity it takes for me to be at my job, I needed something that was going to be an outlet…I wanted to be active, you know, just something that's more healthier for me.' In October 2024, she tested the waters with weightlifting, and discovered she was a natural talent. 'I didn't realise how naturally strong I was. I met some people… and they kind of encouraged me to pick it up as a sport.' Encouraged by those around her, the results came quickly. 'On my second competition, which was a week after my first, I did get a podium. I hit some numbers that I didn't realise were really good nationally.' That moment changed things for Soloai, and she had nothing to lose by pursuing the sport. 'I thought, you know what? If this is an advantage for me, why not? I've got nothing to lose… and it's just been really, really good. 'I've excelled really fast. This is a sport I think a lot our Pacific and Maori women would thrive in – so people should get in there. It takes consistency and effort to get where you want to be, but it's so worth it.' Alongside Soloai, Patolo has enjoyed similar success, although she almost didn't make it to the Mini Games. After qualifying earlier in the year, she was unsure about committing to the trip. 'I actually wasn't gonna come,' Patolo said. 'I just have a lot going on in my own life. But not everyone gets this opportunity, and what have I got to lose? I've got everything to gain.' It was Soloai's decision to go that ultimately encouraged her. 'If it wasn't for Judy coming as well, I would have never come,' Patolo laughed. 'We just really support each other.' Another source of support is her husband, who said that her husband helped put together make-shift weights at home so that she could train in the garden. Similarly to Soloai, Patolo only joined the sport earlier on in 2024, and leads a busy life as a full-time Court Reporter for the Ministry of Justice, so she aims to train intensively around three times a week. She is also soaking in the successes attributed to her newfound success. 'With what Judy said…the invitation [to join] is not just to young women, it's also to the older wāhine. Because I'm 34…I just think, just get amongst it. You might surprise yourself.'
Scoop
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
NZ Team Flagbearer David Liti Lifts Through Grief To Win Double Gold At Pacific Mini Games
Aotearoa's champion Tongan-Kiwi weightlifter David Liti has dominated at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games, bringing home two gold medals, in the 110kg+ clean and jerk and the men's overall, and a silver in the snatch on Saturday. Liti's performance was a boost for the New Zealand weightlifting team, who finished the Mini Games with a total of eight medals: two gold, three silver, and three bronze. The lead-up to the Mini Games, however, was anything but easy for Liti. The second youngest of eleven siblings, he has spent the past month grieving the loss of his mother Sisi Luisa to cancer. With limited time and focus for training ahead of the competition in Palau, Liti admitted he hadn't expected to perform at his best, or find success on the platform. "I took a lot of time off…with my mum being sick and passing away in the last month," he said. "Mentally, it was a little bit tough, but I knew I had to come back for her. My mum would be angry at me if I didn't. "It was a really awkward, weird, successful day," Liti said. "I did not come in expecting to take home gold, but with a little bit of last-minute plans and tactical plays outside in the back room, we managed to surpass all those hurdles and come out with the gold today." In saying that, he came and did what he "needed to do". "After these past few months,we did what we needed to do. We came into this slowly…I mean, there's always room for improvement. But today is done - whatever is done is done - and I'm happy," Liti said. Looking ahead, Liti is focused on what's next, with the Commonwealth Championships in India just weeks away and bigger competitions, such as the 2026 Commonwealth Games, on the horizon. "The build-up from now is to be at peak performance by India, which is another seven to eight weeks from here, and then just carry on to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow," Liti said. Patolo, Soloai also add medals Within the space of a year, Tui-Alofa Patolo and Judy Soloai have taken the weightlifting scene by storm while holding down full-time jobs and only recently stepping into the sport. Alongside Liti, teammates Patolo, 34, and Soloai, 30, added to the team's medal tally with three bronze medals. Soloai claimed bronze in both the women's 86kg+ clean and jerk and the overall total, while Patolo secured bronze in the 86kg+ snatch. The success of both has been impressive, with both weighlifters having only joined the sport within the year. Soloai said that she had initially got into it as a mental outlet. "My full-time job is as a forensic mental health clinician in Hawkes Bay prison," she said. "I think with the mental capacity it takes for me to be at my job, I needed something that was going to be an outlet…I wanted to be active, you know, just something that's more healthier for me." In October 2024, she tested the waters with weightlifting, and discovered she was a natural talent. "I didn't realise how naturally strong I was. I met some people... and they kind of encouraged me to pick it up as a sport." Encouraged by those around her, the results came quickly. "On my second competition, which was a week after my first, I did get a podium. I hit some numbers that I didn't realise were really good nationally." That moment changed things for Soloai, and she had nothing to lose by pursuing the sport. "I thought, you know what? If this is an advantage for me, why not? I've got nothing to lose... and it's just been really, really good. "I've excelled really fast. This is a sport I think a lot our Pacific and Maori women would thrive in - so people should get in there. It takes consistency and effort to get where you want to be, but it's so worth it." Alongside Soloai, Patolo has enjoyed similar success, although she almost didn't make it to the Mini Games. After qualifying earlier in the year, she was unsure about committing to the trip. "I actually wasn't gonna come," Patolo said. "I just have a lot going on in my own life. But not everyone gets this opportunity, and what have I got to lose? I've got everything to gain." It was Soloai's decision to go that ultimately encouraged her. "If it wasn't for Judy coming as well, I would have never come," Patolo laughed. "We just really support each other." Another source of support is her husband, who said that her husband helped put together make-shift weights at home so that she could train in the garden. Similarly to Soloai, Patolo only joined the sport earlier on in 2024, and leads a busy life as a full-time Court Reporter for the Ministry of Justice, so she aims to train intensively around three times a week. She is also soaking in the successes attributed to her newfound success. "With what Judy said…the invitation [to join] is not just to young women, it's also to the older wāhine. Because I'm 34...I just think, just get amongst it. You might surprise yourself."
RNZ News
30-04-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Highlanders v Moana Pasifika: Semisi's southern homecoming
Moana Pasifika's Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa dives over for a try during an earlier match against the Highlanders at North Harbour Stadium. Photo: Brett Phibbs / Highlanders v Moana Pasifika Kick-off: 3:35pm Sunday 4 May Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Live blog updates on RNZ Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa is well versed in sacrifice - before he was a teenager, the rising Moana Pasifika powerhouse made the solo 1600km journey south to forge his game in the bitter winters of Dunedin. A far cry from the comforts of his home in Mangere, a 12-year-old Tupou Ta'eiloa was thrust into boarding life at Otago Boys High School. "It was pretty scary. I didn't know anyone there, so just went there and just went straight to boarding house. It was a bit of a culture shock for me." But Tupou Ta'eiloa said the shift south was hugely beneficial for both his game, and his personal growth. "I think it gave me more of an opportunity to open my eyes, see what else is there. Being up here at home was just a bit of tunnel vision, not really thinking about life after school and going into down south, kind of opened those doors for me and opened my eyes a bit more." The blockbusting number eight was well-known in college circles down south, due in no small part to a viral try he scored against John McGlashan College. Swatting away defenders like they were a mere inconvenience, Tupou Ta'eiloa broke nine tackles on his way to a spectacular individual try. Not that the humble Tongan-Kiwi would remind you of it. "I forgot about that, can't really remember. I'll have to go back and look." The 21-year-old is set for a reunion with several former team and flatmates from his days playing in both Dunedin and Invercargil with the Southland Stags, including Oliver Haig, Jake Te Iwi and Finn Hurley. Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa of Southland makes a run during Wellington v Southland NPC match at Porirua Park, Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday 7 September 2024. Photo: Elias Rodriguez / "It's going to be real special for me just because it's the place I grew up. The place I call home too. So it'd be different feeling, but excited." The Highlanders under the roof in Dunedin marks the first of four local derbies in Moana's run home. The side sits just two points outside the top six and a potential first ever play-off berth. "Every game is motivating. Everyone just keeps everyone accountable to not get comfortable every week, just trying to be better." Having lit up the 2025 season with his dynamic ball carries and try scoring nous, Tupou Ta'eiloa has become an integral part of Moana's pack, and has no plans to go anywhere else. "I haven't heard anything yet, so sounds like I'll stay here. I'm just happy to be here anyway. This is home for me now." Leading the competition in carries, Tupou Ta'eiloa is likely on both the All Blacks and Tongan's radar for international selection, but he has given no thought ot whom he may pledge his allegiance to. "I haven't thought about that at all. Purely focused on Super." As for what has contributed to his form in 2025? "Mum's cooking."
