There’s been bronze medals in boxing for Fiji and Tuvalu at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Fiji’s Jasmine Daunakamakama has been beaten in the women’s 57kg semifinals by Northern Ireland’s Michaela Walsh.
But in boxing, once a fighter is beaten they cannot fight again, so the losing semifinalists both get bronze medals.
She told FBC it was a privilege to share the ring with Walsh – the Birmingham 2022 champion – and she was grateful for the experience.
“When I get back to Fiji, I’m going to work even harder, push myself, so I can come back even stronger,” she said.
Tuvalu’s Tarona Khanum Badi Pasoni Taafaki also lost her semifinal, in the women’s 75kg, to India’s Lovlina Borgohain, but also gets a bronze medal.
Her father, Badi Ta’afaki, is her coach, while her brother Pasoni Ta’afaki has also carried Tuvalu’s flag in the men’s 70kg division in Glasgow.
Her sister, Francis Ta’afaki, won silver at the Youth Futures Cup in Thailand earlier this year.
Tarona Taafaki told World Boxing it means a lot to her to represent her small nation.
Tuvalu’s Tarona Khanum Badi Pasoni Taafaki got a boxing bronze medal at the Glashow Commonwealth Games.
World Boxing Facebook screenshot
“Everyone’s that asking me my entire life where I’m from and I say I’m Tuvaluan, they don’t even know where that is, if it’s like Pacific country or African country,” she said.
“For Tuvaluans specifically I just encourage them to go out, do whatever they want, go make it big.
“Me being able to get a bronze at the Commonwealth [Games] should inspire other Tuvaluans out there.”
Meanwhile, two judokas from Kiribati and one from Nauru were beaten in the elimination rounds of 16.
Cook Islands’ Max Teuruaa finished 11th of 12 starters in the men’s decathlon – the combination of 10 track and field events. He threw a personal best in the decathlon shot put of 11.31 metres, which was 11th of 12 throws.
In the netball, the Tonga Tala have beaten Wales, 63-53, to finish 9th overall.
Pacific lawn bowlers were also in action on Friday night and Saturday morning, with wins to Norfolk Island and Tonga in the men’s pairs, and Norfolk’s Shae Wilson and Tonga’s Milika Nathan in the women’s singles.
The boxing podiums take the Pacific islands’ medal tally to eight – gold and silver to Samoa, gold and bronze to Fiji, and bronze medals to Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, and two for Nauru.
