Athletes compete during the track events at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. (file image) Photo: Photosport
Pacific Island athletes will take to the Olympic track in Paris' Stade de France this weekend.
Papua New Guinea's Leonie Beu will be one of those in the 100 metre sprint preliminary round on Friday night.
Her coach Brett Green said the athlete is ready.
"Leonie has done everything required of an Olympian in her preparation," he said.
"Her last week has been great and we are looking forward to a fast run in the preliminary round, to progress to round one."
Team PNG’s Leonie Beu will be in the 100 metres sprint. Photo: Team PNG
Vanuatu's Chloe David will make her first appearance at the Olympic Games, when she also competes in the women's 100m preliminary heats.
Also in the women's 100m preliminary heats are American Samoa's Filomenaleonisa Iakopo, Guam's Regine Tugade-Watson, Palau's Sydney Francisco, Solomon Islands' Sharon Firisua and Tuvalu's Temalini Manatoa.
The first three runners in each heat qualify for round one, as well as the next fastest five.
The men's 100 metres preliminaries follow on Saturday night, featuring eight Pacific Islands athletes.
Fiji sprinter Waisake Tewa was at Stade de France on Thursday trying out the tracks, alongside athletes he will race against.
Also entered are Guam's Joseph Green, Kiribati's Kenaz Kaniwete, Marshall Islands' William Reed, Nauru's Winzar Kakiouea, Tonga's Maleselo Fukofuka, Tuvalu's Karalo Maibuca and Scott Fiti from Federated States of Micronesia.
Fiji is the only Pacific Island team that has won a medal at the Paris Games so far - the sevens team's silver medal.
The Fijiana sevens team, bronze medallists in Tokyo, did not win a game at the event.
PNG's Josh Tasere in Paris. Photo: ONOC Communications / Kirk Corrie
Swimmers record personal best times
Team Papua New Guinea said swimmer Josh Tarere has put the country on the Paris Olympics radar, after he won his 100 metres freestyle heat on Wednesday.
Tarere touched the wall in a personal best time of 53.58 seconds.
Chef de mission and former champion swimmer Ryan Pini says he was proud of Tarere's performance.
Although Tarere did not progress - finishing 72nd overall - Pini said the swimmer had achieved a milestone in winning his heat.
"As chef de mission to Team PNG and a former Olympic swimmer myself, I am incredibly proud of Josh's performance in the 100m freestyle," Pini said in a Team PNG statement.
"Josh executed his race exactly according to plan, demonstrating his maturity and growth in his swimming career.
"His ability to maintain such intense focus and deliver under the pressure of the world's biggest stage is truly impressive.
"This level of dedication and composure is a testament to his hard work and commitment, and it sets a strong example for aspiring athletes in Papua New Guinea."
Tarere said he was excited and thanked everyone who have supported him.
"I have been swimming since I was 12 years old," he said.
"After 13 years of swimming, I made the Olympics and I am happy with my results."
The men's 50m freestyle heats saw several PBs from Pacific swimmers.
Palau's Jion Hosei clocked a personal best time of 25.67 seconds.
Marshall Islands Philip Kinono in the pool, at the end of his race. Photo: ONOC Communications / Kirk Corrie
Philip Kinono of the Marshall Islands won his heat in a personal best time of 27.43 seconds.
Fiji's David Young set a new record for Fiji swimming and a PB also in the event, winning his heat in 22.71 seconds.
His previous record was 22.87 seconds, set at the 2023 World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
Young finished 40th overall, Kinono 64th and Hosei 56th.
Fijian swimmer David Young recorded a new Fiji swim record in the men's 50metres freestyle. Photo: ONOC Communications / Kirk Corrie
Meanwhile, Johnathan Silas became Vanuatu's first ever Olympic swimmer.
Silas swam a time of 59.38, smashing his best time and previous national record of 1.01.06.
Fellow Vanuatu swimmer Loane Russet will make her debut at the Olympic Games on Saturday, competing in the women's 50m freestyle.
A further eight Pacific Islands athletes are in the 50m free preliminary heats - Tonga's Noelani Day, Solomon Islands' Isabella Miller, Samoa's Kaiya Brown, PNG's Georgia-Leigh Vele, Marshall Islands' Kayla Hepler, Palau's Yuri Hosei, Fiji's Anahira McCutcheon and FSM's Kestra Kihleng.
Judo loss
Vanuatu judoka Hugo Cumbo lost to Dutchman Frank De Wit during his round of 32 in the men's 81kg category on Thursday.
But despite the defeat Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee congratulated Cumbo, who was participating in his second Olympic Games.
Fiji's Gerard Takayawa competes in judo on Friday night.
Fiji's Sophia Morgan and Samoa's and Vaimo’oi’a Ripley are representing the Pacific in the women’s dinghy regatta. Photo: ONOC / Inoke Bainimarama
Sailing continues
Pacific Island sailors at the Paris Olympics will continue to compete in the dinghy regatta on Saturday.
Fiji and Samoa sailors were in action on day one, although the schedule was affected by the weather.
Samoa's Eroni Leilua was 41st after two races, with Fiji's Viliame Ratului in 43rd position out of 43 boats.
In the women's competition, Fiji's Sophia Morgan finished 33rd in race one, while Samoa's Vaimo'oi'a Ripley was 42nd.
The dinghies have 10 races before the top points scorers go to the medal race.
