The Samoan team training in Paris for the sevens competition. Photo: Team Fiji Photo: Samoa Rugby
Sevens
Both the Samoa and Tonga men's sevens teams have qualified for the third round of the second-tier Sevens Challenger Series, keeping their hopes alive of qualifying for the top flight.
Both teams finished in the top eight overall after the first two rounds in Cape Town, which ended on Sunday.
They will now move on to the Krakow Sevens in Poland in April.
The two teams must finish in the top four at that event if they are to qualify for the promotion/relegation series in Los Angeles in May.
Volleyball
The Papua New Guinea Volleyball Federation will name their final squad for the 2025 Palau Mini Games in early June.
The National newspaper reported secretary Ronald Omoa confirmed a total of 12 players will be selected for the men and women's indoor teams.
Four players, two each for the men and women's teams, will be named to play beach volleyball in Koror.
Omoa said the volleyball federation is holding training camps at the PNG High Performance Unit in Port Moresby.
Weightlifting
Four Fiji weightlifting coaches have been accredited with international licenses.
The license is a new mandatory requirement for coaching at international events.
FBC Sports reported the coaches are Henry Elder, the head coach of Weightlifting Fiji, Eremasi Qalibau, Timothy Vakaruivalu, and Della Shaw Elder, president of Weightlifting Fiji.
The four went through qualification at the new Oceania Weightlifting Institute in Samoa last month.
Football
The Oceania Football Confederation and UN Women have announced an extension of their progamme to end violence against women.
First signed in 2022, the renewed memorandum of understanding will see the OFC and UN Women continue to work to improve gender equality, prevent and end violence against girls and women, and empower women and girls through football.
Delphine Serumaga from the UN Women Fiji office said sports play an important role in shaping attitudes, values and behaviours that can promote gender equality and prevent violence against women and girls in the Pacific.
Cricket
Central Districts Cricket in New Zealand has donated just over US$4000 worth of equipment to the Vanuatu Cricket Association.
Local media reported the donation is a significant boost to cricket development in Vanuatu, where access to quality equipment remains a key challenge.
Vanuatu Cricket Association development manager Pierre Chilia said the donated gear will support young cricketers in their development.
"Receiving donations of gear such as these will be used to increase the growth of cricket in Vanuatu by providing our young cricketers with the opportunity to play cricket safely and at a higher standard," he said.
Mini Games
Papua New Guinea is plannng to send 205 athletes to the Palau Mini Games in June.
The Post Courier reported PNG Olympic Committee president Emma Waiwai has confirmed the participation of nine sports teams at the Games.
Waiwai said the comittee wants to use the Games as a place to test and develop young athletes who might be able to represent the country at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.
