Solomon golfers invited to Asia Pacific meet
Solomon Islands golfers George Rukabo and Tony Ramo are this year’s recipients for the upcoming Asia Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) in Melbourne, Australia next week.
The Solomon Islands Golf Federation team manager Arvindra Prasad said the two golfers work with expert coaches in sports science and fitness.
The players will attend the coaching programme at the AAC Academy in Melbourne from May 15-19 and also get the chance to play at the AAC meet at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club from October 26-29.
“This will allow them to enhance their abilities and skills for the major competition in October and also a preparation for the upcoming Pacific Games,” Prasad told Solomon Islands National Institute of Sport (SINIS) media.
Kurukuru futsal team to train at institute’s facility
In their preparation for regional and international events the Solomon Islands ‘Kurukuru’ national Futsal team is expected to start using the SINIS facility from next week.
Kurukuru national Futsal team head coach Damon Shaw visited the High Performance Centre in Honiara on Tuesday to check the availability for his squad to use the facility, SINIS media reported.
In a meeting with SINIS Executive Director Aaron Alsop and SINIS High Performance Manager for Portfolio Two (Team Sports) Amanda Korinihona, Shaw was informed and introduced to the different programmes offered for athletes at SINIS.
This included assistance on nutrition, wellbeing, mental skills, physio/rehab, and strength and conditioning.
The Kurukuru will miss the upcoming Pacific Games as sports such Futsal, Beach Soccer and Badminton are not included in the Games sports competition.
But the use of the high performance facility will help the team prepare for the Oceania Futsal Championship, which normally serves as the qualifier for the world champs.
‘Kurukuru’ national Futsal team Head Coach Damon Shaw and SINIS High Performance Manager for Portfolio Two (Team Sports) Amanda Korinihona touring SINIS.
Photo: SINIS Media
Davule bows out of world boxing champs
Fiji amateur boxer Jone Koroilagilagi Davule has bowed out of the IBA World Championship underway in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Davule lost to Mohammad Abu-Jajeh of Jordan in the round of 16 with all five judges scoring it 27-30 to the Jordan fighter.
Davule and Mikaele Ravalaca are the first boxers from Fiji to compete in any world boxing championship event.
Last week Davule won his first round fight against a Zimbabwean foe.
Dolphins role preparing Katoa for England series
Tongan teen rugby league star Isaiya Katoa continues to exceed the expectations of Dolphins coach-in-waiting Kristian Woolf and is set to be a key member of his Tonga side in the end-of-season series against England.
The Mate Ma’a Tonga will play three matches in England later this year.
Katoa, who scored his first NRL try in last weekend’s stunning 36-16 triumph against Cronulla, has been forced to assume the chief playmaking duties for the Dolphins following an injury to halfback Sean O’Sullivan and continues to impress.
The 19-year-old has the rare distinction of having played a Test for Tonga at last year’s World Cup before making his NRL debut in the opening round match against Sydney Roosters and Woolf said Katoa was a star in the making.
Fijian Warriors focus on getting one more win
Fijian Warriors rugby union captain Enele Malele says they still have one more job to do before reclaiming the World Rugby Pacific Challenge title.
The Warriors now claim top spot and are undefeated after beating hosts Manuma Samoa 50-25 Monday, but the skipper said the fight is not over yet.
“We still have one more to go,” Malele told Fiji Live.
“The game against Manuma Samoa was one we needed and it gave us a lot of answers and areas to work on. Playing the Samoa at home is never easy and it definitely was a tough game. We will reset and go back now and prepare for our final game against Tonga which we expect will be a physical too.”
The Warriors take on Tonga A in their final game this Saturday at Apia Park.
Minister appoints five interim trustees to FRU
Fiji’s Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Siromi Turaga, has appointed five interim trustees for the Fiji Rugby Football Union Trust Board.
Peter Mazey, Jenny Seeto, Alipate Naiorosui, Sikeli Tuinamuana and Mosese Naivalu have been appointed.
The new trustees will present to a special general meeting of the FRU to find a way forward out of the anomalies of the rugby union as a charitable trust.
Fiji Drua leave for final games away
The Fijian Drua left for Australia on Tuesday for their final away games of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season.
Head coach Mick Byrne said the remaining four games are important and they need to focus if they want to remain in the top eight.
Byrne said after the 27-24 win over the Hurricanes, the side has received an extra boost heading into Perth this week.
The Western Force host the Drua at HBF Park in Perth on Friday.
Four juniors qualify for Pacific Games
Four Papua New Guinea junior tennis players have qualified for the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Fiji in July, following the West Pacific Regional Championships in Vanuatu last week.
The Post Courier reported that the four juniors are Colita Hakena, who was the winner of the U-14s, John Louie Domalaon, who placed third in the U-14 boys, Pauline Hyun, runner-up winner in the U-16s, and Sugar-Ray Hakena, the winner of the the U-16 boys.
Hakena and Akinu were winners for the Girls U-14 doubles and Kamara won the U-16 best sportsmanship award.
Waratahs issue caution over early Suaalii speculation
NSW Waratahs assistant coach Jason Gilmore says they’d welcome Samoan rugby league star Joseph Suaalii arriving a year earlier although he issued a warning about putting too much pressure on the teenage sensation.
Suaalii finds himself stuck in a difficult situation, having signed a deal to leave rugby league in 2025.
Reports have emerged that the Sydney Roosters could release him from his NRL contract at the end of the year amid their slow start to the 2023 season.
Australians secure series in Vanuatu
The Australian Women’s Indigenous team beat Vanuatu by a convincing 55 runs in the third match of their four game T20 series against the Pacific hosts.
The win means that the Australian side has secured the title ahead of the final game being played today.
Australia made 136-3 with Vanuatu getting to just 82 for the loss of seven wickets.