Tonga Has Won Its First Medals- Gold in Judo for ‘Epoki 'Epoki Faka'osi (pictured at left) yesterday evening secured the first Gold medal for Tonga in Men’s - 90kg category (Men under 90kg) in the South Pacific Games judo tournament.
Faka’osi started his career in early 1990s while he was still 13-years of age, leading up to his Gold medal in Samoa. A report from Lennie Niit of the Tonga Judo Association, who is in Apia with the Judo team, Faka’osi in 1992 was the first judo competitors to represent Tonga in overseas tournament.
Lennie said, Faka’osi used to fight under the 81-kg category and lately moved to the under 90-kg category when he fell comfortable with it after fighting it out with larger opponents.
'Epoki is married with children in San Francisco and been residing over there since 2001 which has enabled him to further develop his judo skills in the more competitive US environment.
According to Lennie, Tonga’s only female judo competitor ‘Aniki Tu’ipulotu had 2 tough fights, against opponents from Fiji. Fiji is the dominant force in Women Judo in the South pacific and also Oceania.
Aniki Tuipulotu is Tonga's only female competitor for the South Pacific games judo competition. Today, Tuipulotu fought against Fijian Selenia Maria Waqanisanini. Waqanisanini won this fight but Tuipulotu did not yield easily, but Aniki still won the bronze medal under the 78-kg category, said Lennie.
Tuipulotu has been playing judo since 2005. The Samoan South Pacific Games is her first international competition. She trains at the only judo club in Tonga; she trains and spars with other members; she is the only woman in her club.
Lennie said Tuipulotu (pictured at right) first became interested in judo when she watched the men training at the club.
The 3rd Tongan judoka in action yesterday was Akapei Latu in Men under 81kg and although he had several good wins he had a bit of bad luck in the Bronze medal fight.
Today Heimuli Faka'osi, younger brother of 'Epoki, is fighting in the Men under 73kg category and is aiming for medal as is also the whole team as they might enter both a planned Team tournament today as well as Open Weight categories.
“Next judo event after the SPG is only 2 weeks ahead and is the World Judo Championships in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil mid September where both 'Epoki Faka'osi and Akeapei Latu are scheduled to participate. The World Judo Championship is one of three events for Olympic Qualification and if either judoka perform well also here then the next qualifying event would be the Oceania Judo Union Open World Cup in Perth, Western Australia, in early November 2007”, said Lennie
Outline of 'Epoki's career leading up to his South Pacific Games 2007 Samoa Gold medal
Under 90kg Men's Judo– South Pacific Games 2007 Samoa
Gold Tonga Under 90kg Men's Judo 28th August 2007 Epoki Faka'osi
Silver Tahiti Under 90kg Men's Judo 28th August 2007 Arnaud Laboube
Bronze New Caledonia Under 90kg Men's Judo 28th August 2007 Steve Olsen Bronze Tahiti Under 90kg Men's Judo 28th August 2007 Rehia Davio
========================================================
2004 November – Epoki Faka’osi take Silver in Open category at the Commonwealth Judo Championships hosted by Auckland, New Zealand.
2003 September – Epoki Faka'osi and Akapei Latu represent Tonga in the World Judo Championships hosted by Osaka, Japan.
2003 July – Epoki Faka'osi and 6 other judo team members represent Tonga at the South Pacific Games in Fiji. Epoki land the Bronze medal in Men -81kg category.
2002 July – Epoki Faka’osi place 7th in Commonwealth Games, Manchester, England.
2001 July - Epoki Faka'osi represent Tonga in the World Judo Championships hosted by Munich, Germany.
2001 March - Epoki Faka'osi moved to San Fransisco, United States, for improved training opportunities.
2000 July - Epoki Faka'osi departed for Japan on for a two months intensive judo training programme based at the the Tokai University.
2000 June 2 - The Olympic Torch came through Tonga on the way from Greece to Sydney, Epoki Faka'osi the proud number 98 runner representing the Tonga Judo Association and himself as possible Olympian in Sydney 2000.
1999 October - Epoki Faka'osi represent Tonga in Judo World Championships in Birmingham, England, and also in the US Open in Colorado Springs, USA.
1999 June - South Pacific Games in Guam - 7 countries competing and Tonga sent a team of 5 judoka. The team sponsored by private persons and with placings as follows:
Epoki Faka'osi - Bronze, Men -81kg
Shogo Falevai - Bronze, Men -100kg
1992 October - Tonga participated in the Wellington Youth Tournament with two brothers Epoki and Mekivila Faka'osi with Epoki Faka’osi winning a medal for technical excellence.
Faka’osi started his career in early 1990s while he was still 13-years of age, leading up to his Gold medal in Samoa. A report from Lennie Niit of the Tonga Judo Association, who is in Apia with the Judo team, Faka’osi in 1992 was the first judo competitors to represent Tonga in overseas tournament.
Lennie said, Faka’osi used to fight under the 81-kg category and lately moved to the under 90-kg category when he fell comfortable with it after fighting it out with larger opponents.
'Epoki is married with children in San Francisco and been residing over there since 2001 which has enabled him to further develop his judo skills in the more competitive US environment.
According to Lennie, Tonga’s only female judo competitor ‘Aniki Tu’ipulotu had 2 tough fights, against opponents from Fiji. Fiji is the dominant force in Women Judo in the South pacific and also Oceania.
Aniki Tuipulotu is Tonga's only female competitor for the South Pacific games judo competition. Today, Tuipulotu fought against Fijian Selenia Maria Waqanisanini. Waqanisanini won this fight but Tuipulotu did not yield easily, but Aniki still won the bronze medal under the 78-kg category, said Lennie.
Tuipulotu has been playing judo since 2005. The Samoan South Pacific Games is her first international competition. She trains at the only judo club in Tonga; she trains and spars with other members; she is the only woman in her club.
Lennie said Tuipulotu (pictured at right) first became interested in judo when she watched the men training at the club.
The 3rd Tongan judoka in action yesterday was Akapei Latu in Men under 81kg and although he had several good wins he had a bit of bad luck in the Bronze medal fight.
Today Heimuli Faka'osi, younger brother of 'Epoki, is fighting in the Men under 73kg category and is aiming for medal as is also the whole team as they might enter both a planned Team tournament today as well as Open Weight categories.
“Next judo event after the SPG is only 2 weeks ahead and is the World Judo Championships in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil mid September where both 'Epoki Faka'osi and Akeapei Latu are scheduled to participate. The World Judo Championship is one of three events for Olympic Qualification and if either judoka perform well also here then the next qualifying event would be the Oceania Judo Union Open World Cup in Perth, Western Australia, in early November 2007”, said Lennie
Outline of 'Epoki's career leading up to his South Pacific Games 2007 Samoa Gold medal
Under 90kg Men's Judo– South Pacific Games 2007 Samoa
Gold Tonga Under 90kg Men's Judo 28th August 2007 Epoki Faka'osi
Silver Tahiti Under 90kg Men's Judo 28th August 2007 Arnaud Laboube
Bronze New Caledonia Under 90kg Men's Judo 28th August 2007 Steve Olsen Bronze Tahiti Under 90kg Men's Judo 28th August 2007 Rehia Davio
========================================================
2004 November – Epoki Faka’osi take Silver in Open category at the Commonwealth Judo Championships hosted by Auckland, New Zealand.
2003 September – Epoki Faka'osi and Akapei Latu represent Tonga in the World Judo Championships hosted by Osaka, Japan.
2003 July – Epoki Faka'osi and 6 other judo team members represent Tonga at the South Pacific Games in Fiji. Epoki land the Bronze medal in Men -81kg category.
2002 July – Epoki Faka’osi place 7th in Commonwealth Games, Manchester, England.
2001 July - Epoki Faka'osi represent Tonga in the World Judo Championships hosted by Munich, Germany.
2001 March - Epoki Faka'osi moved to San Fransisco, United States, for improved training opportunities.
2000 July - Epoki Faka'osi departed for Japan on for a two months intensive judo training programme based at the the Tokai University.
2000 June 2 - The Olympic Torch came through Tonga on the way from Greece to Sydney, Epoki Faka'osi the proud number 98 runner representing the Tonga Judo Association and himself as possible Olympian in Sydney 2000.
1999 October - Epoki Faka'osi represent Tonga in Judo World Championships in Birmingham, England, and also in the US Open in Colorado Springs, USA.
1999 June - South Pacific Games in Guam - 7 countries competing and Tonga sent a team of 5 judoka. The team sponsored by private persons and with placings as follows:
Epoki Faka'osi - Bronze, Men -81kg
Shogo Falevai - Bronze, Men -100kg
1992 October - Tonga participated in the Wellington Youth Tournament with two brothers Epoki and Mekivila Faka'osi with Epoki Faka’osi winning a medal for technical excellence.
FONTE: Tonga Now - Nuku'alofa,Tonga
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