2019 Pacific Games: Hawaii scoops gold for Tuvalu

Pacific Games table tennis para athlete Ioane Hawaii holds his gold medal with pride as daughter Maitapu looks on at USP’s Laucala campus. Picture: EPELI LALAGAVESI/WANSOLWARA

By EPELI LALAGAVESI

Table tennis para athlete Ioane Hawaii of Tuvalu will never forget his first professional outing at the 2019 Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa after scooping the country’s lone gold medal so far in the men’s seated singles event.

Even though this was Hawaii’s first Pacific Games outing, he has represented Tuvalu in para table tennis competitions such as the Fiji Open, Oceania Table Tennis, New Zealand Open and Vanuatu Mini-Games.

Speaking to Wansolwara News this week, Hawaii dedicated this milestone achievement to his family, friends and colleagues, persons with disability in Fiji and Tuvalu. 

“I hope this achievement will give a voice to people with disabilities in Tuvalu and change the mindset of people about persons with disabilities. We can also make the country proud,” said the determined 28-year-old.

Hawaii, a first-year student at The University of the South Pacific’s Laucala campus, defeated rival Mateau Tehei from Tahiti 3-2 in the final.

His aim throughout the competition – win a medal and raise the flag of Tuvalu proudly.

“I was a bit worried as it was my first time participating at the Pacific Games and the nervousness got to me when I lost my first game against my opponent from Kiribati,” he said.

“I accepted the loss then tried my best to achieve my aim from the start, which was to win a medal for Tuvalu.

“I also wanted to show the Government of Tuvalu, my colleagues and the people at home that people with disabilities can do things to raise the flag of Tuvalu.”

For Hawaii, preparations in the lead-up to the Pacific Games were challenging as he found himself juggling studies and training.

“It was very difficult to study and train at the same time. I was only able to train once a week. I was trying to do my own training as I live here in Fiji while the athletes were training together in Tuvalu, he said.

“I did not have a coach and most of my training was playing with other players in Fiji. I thought I was not ready to participate in the Pacific Games but I had set my target and I was going to work towards it.”

Hawaii plans to complete his four-year programme – diploma in economics leading to a bachelors degree in economics and management in public administrations – before making a return to the table.

Epeli Lalagavesi is a final-year journalism student at USP’s Laucala campus. He is also a student reporter for Wansolwara, USP Journalism’s print and online student training publications.