Manega Tapari (born 30 April 1999) is a Papua New Guinean para athlete, para badminton player, and para taekwondo competitor. She represented Papua New Guinea in para taekwondo at the 2024 Summer Paralympics. [1] [2]
Tapari began playing para-badminton in 2022. The following year she competed at the Western Australia Para Badminton International. In October 2023 she received a female participation grant from the Badminton World Federation. [3] [4]
Tapari competed at the 2023 Pacific Games in the ambulant (class 6-10) javelin throw, shot put, and 100m events. [5] [6]
In April 2024, Tapari won in the +65kg women's para-division at the 2024 Oceania Taekwondo Olympics Qualification, earning her a spot at the Paralympics. [1] Tapari was one of three Papua New Guinean athletes to qualify for the 2024 Summer Paralympics, and was one of the country's flag bearer's at the opening ceremony. [7] [8] In competition, she reached the round of 16 in the +65kg category, where she was beaten by Spanish athlete Dalia Santiago Moreno. [9] [10]