Today at the Games is a daily podcast bringing you the successes and untold stories of the Pacific Oceania athletes and nations as they compete in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. In our penultimate episode, our Guest presenter, Fijian Swimmer David Young, talks us through our seventh episode.
In an interview with Secretary General Tonga Wrestling Federation, Leafa Wawryk, talks to us about competing on a world stage and how Birmingham 2022 has been one of the best yet for the Pacific Oceania! Leafa also gives us an insight into the logistics of bringing Pacific Oceania athletes to compete overseas and also how important it is to bring the younger generation through.
In the final days of the competition, we spoke to Pacific Oceania track and wrestling athletes who shared their experiences of competing in a Commonwealth Games and what their next steps are for their sporting career. They also used the opportunity to reflect on their performances as well as the Games overall.
Self proclaimed “under dog”, Duken Holo Tutakitoa-Williams, who won the bronze medal for Niue in the Heavyweight Boxing Division, tells us about wanting other Niueans to follow in their footsteps and think about a potential future in Boxing. They also reflect on their time at the Games after making history as the first ever medal winner for Niue.
We also spoke to PNG Swimmer, Georgia Leigh Vele who described their time at Birmingham 2022 as a “whirlwind”, told us about their journey to becoming a swimmer. Not only did swimming lessons from a young age provide some inspiration, Georgia also comes from a “swimming family” with their Dad and uncles representing PNG previously, so the goal for Georgia was simple… to make the “boys club” and also represent PNG in the water. However, the main piece of advice from Georgia for any Pacific Oceania residents who plan to travel to the UK… Pack warm clothes!
To wrap up our penultimate episode, we asked the Pacific Oceania athletes “what they would say to their younger selves” and “what does their sport mean to them” - truly inspiring answers you won’t want to miss!
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