5 Aug 2016

Sport: Archers to open Tongan account in Rio

1:00 pm on 5 August 2016

Archers Arne Jensen and Karoline Tatafu will be the first Tongan athletes in action at the Rio Olympics tomorrow morning.

The pair qualified at the Oceania Championships in Nuku'alofa in April.

18 year olds Jensen and Tatafu will compete in the men's and women's individual ranking rounds.

Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu were officially welcomed into the Olympic Games Village in Rio de Janiero yesterday.

Team Tonga at their Welcoming Ceremony in the Olympic Village.

Team Tonga at their Welcoming Ceremony in the Olympic Village. Photo: Supplied/ TASANOC

TASANOC Interim Secretary General-CEO, Takitoa Taumoepeau, said the team had settled in well and was looking forward to getting underway.

"The mood is very positive and I think with some of the athletes with their parents acting as officials they couldn't ask for better company than that. It's all good," he said.

"Those archers I think can't wait to start their competition because they've been preparing and training all this time, but that doesn't mean they're out of butterflies. I saw them earlier today and they are quite keen to participate and take part.

"I'm just asking them if they can do their past personal best and I wish they can proceed to the next round - that's even quite an achievement."

Takitoa Taumoepeau said Team Tonga was grateful for the financial grant of $US25,000 from the government and $US5500 donation from the Kingdom's honorary consul in Sydney, which would be handed out to the athletes shortly.

Meanwhile Tonga has selected Taekwondo athlete Pita Taufatofua to be the country's flagbearer at tomorrow's opening ceremony.