11 Aug 2008

No success so far for Pacific athletes at Olympics

11:23 am on 11 August 2008

There's been no success so far Pacific athletes taking part in the Beijing Olympics.

Over the weekend, there were high hopes of Papua New Guinea's Dika Toua finishing well in the 53kg weightlifting division.

Toua who is ranked 31 in the world and number one in the South Pacific reached 104 kgs in the competition won by a lifter from Thailand with 120kgs.

Another PNG hopeful was 2004 Commonwealth Gold medallist Ryan Pini, in action in the pool for the 200 metres freestyle heats.

And while Pini was unlucky not to make the final, his specialist event the 100 metres butterfly is not set to go until later this week.

However, he will be in action tomorrow night for the 100 metres freestyle along with Fiji's Carl Probert and Guam's Chris Duenas.

Archer Joseph Walter of Samoa missed out in the men's individual ranking with a score of 563.

And another medal prospect Fiji's Glen Kable and former world champion was unsuccessful in the men's Trapshoot qualification.

In weighlifting action today, the Federated States of Micronesia's Manual Minginfel, and Solomon Islands Wendy Hale make their first appearance in the 62kg and 58 kg respectively.