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| Sport | Athletics |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | TAA |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Affiliation | IAAF |
| Affiliation date | 2008 |
| Regional affiliation | OAA |
| Headquarters | Vaiaku, Funafuti |
| President | Monise Laafai |
| Vice president(s) | Teake Esene Manatu |
| Secretary | Tovia Tovia |
| Official website | |
| www | |
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The Tuvalu Athletics Association (TAA) is the governing body for the sport of athletics in the Tuvalu. [1] [2]
A combined Gilbert and Ellice Islands team participated already at the 1963, [3] 1966, [4] and 1971 South Pacific Games. [5] An athlete from Tuvalu (then Ellice Islands), namely Nelu Arenga, is at least documented for 1971. [5] [6]
Athletes from Tuvalu attended the 2003 South Pacific Games for the first time. [7]
The official foundation of TAA occurred in 2004, and its affiliation to the IAAF occurred in 2008. [8]
The current president is Monise Laafai. [1] [2]
Tuvaluan athletes participate in the Pacific Games and the Commonwealth Games in track and field events such as the discus, shot put and 100 metre sprints. [9] Tuvaluan athletes have also participated in the men's and women's 100 metre sprints at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics from 2009.
The Tuvalu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (TASNOC) was recognised as a National Olympic Committee in July 2007. [10] Tuvalu competed at their inaugural Olympic Games at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, with a weightlifter and two athletes in the men's and women's 100-metre sprints. A team with athletes in the same events competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics. [11]
Moreover, it is part of the following national organisations:
Other Tuvaluan sports organisations:
TAA maintains the Tuvaluan records in athletics.
Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean, about midway between Hawaii and Australia. It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands, northeast of Vanuatu, southeast of Nauru, south of Kiribati, west of Tokelau, northwest of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna, and north of Fiji.
Tuvalu competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, from 8 to 24 August 2008. This was the nation's first ever appearance in an Olympic Game. The delegation included two track and field athletes and one weightlifter. Okilani Tinilau and Asenate Manoa participated in athletics while Logona Esau participated in the weightlifting sport. Both track and field athletes achieved national records. Logona Esau led the Tuvaluan squad as the nation's flag bearer in the parade of nations.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Tuvalu:
Asenate Manoa is a Tuvaluan track and field athlete who represented Tuvalu at the 2008 Summer Olympics, at the 2009 World Championships & 2011 World Championships and at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Manoa represented Tuvalu in the sport of powerlifting at the Pacific Games 2015 and won a bronze medal in the 72 kg Female category. She was the first woman to represent Tuvalu at the Olympics.
Okilani Tinilau is a Tuvaluan footballer and sprinter who represented Tuvalu at the 2008 Summer Olympics. As a footballer, Tinilau plays for F.C. Manu Laeva in the Tuvalu A-Division, also playing on the Tuvalu national football team.
Tuvalu participates in the Olympic Games in the Summer Olympics. It has yet to compete at the Winter Olympics.
Sport is an important part of Tuvaluan culture, which sporting culture is based on traditional games and athletic activities and the adoption of some of the major international sports of the modern era.
Etimoni Timuani is a Tuvaluan sportsman. He is a footballer and sprinter specializing in the 100 m distance. Timuani is a father-of-two from Funafuti who works for the Tuvalu National Provident Fund, the national pension scheme.
Tuvalu participates in the Pacific Games which is a multi-sport event with participation exclusively from countries in Oceania. Known as the South Pacific Games prior to 2009, the games are currently held every four years.
Tuvalu competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, which was held from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The country's participation at London marked its second appearance in the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 2008 Summer Olympics. The delegation consisted of three competitors: two short-distance runners, Tavevele Noa and Asenate Manoa, and one weightlifter, Tuau Lapua Lapua. All three qualified for the games through wildcard places because they did not meet the qualification standards. Lapua was the flag bearer for the opening ceremony while Manoa carried it at the closing ceremony. Noa and Manoa failed to advance beyond the preliminary rounds of their events although the latter established a new national record for the women's 100 metres, while Lapua placed 12th in the men's featherweight weightlifting competition.
The Kiribati Athletics Association (KAA) is the governing body for the sport of athletics in the Kiribati. It is suspended by Kiribati National Olympic Committee and OAA since 2020.
The American Samoa Track & Field Association (ASTFA) is the governing body for the sport of athletics in American Samoa.
The Tuvalu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (TASNOC) is the Tuvaluan organization recognised as a National Olympic Committee (NOC) by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 2006, Tuvalu satisfied the IOC's criterion of a minimum five national sports federations recognised by their international sports federations, which included basketball, volleyball, weightlifting, boxing and table tennis.
The Tuvalu Weightlifting Federation (TWF) is the organisation recognised by the International Weightlifting Federation as the weightlifting federation of Tuvalu.
Tuvalu sends athletes to the IAAF World Championships in Athletics to compete in the 100 metres. The sprinters have set Tuvaluan records and personal best times, but have not proceeded beyond the preliminary heats. The Tuvalu Athletics Association (TAA) is the governing body for the sport of athletics in the Tuvalu.
Tuvalu competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. The country's participation at Rio de Janeiro marked its third consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in 2008. The delegation included a single track and field athlete: sprinter Etimoni Timuani. Etimoni was also the nation's flagbearer in the Parade of Nations. He did not progress past the first round of his men's 100 metres competition.
Tuvalu competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were held from 23 July to 8 August 2021. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their participation marked their fourth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics since their debut at the 2008 Summer Olympics. The Tuvaluan delegation consisted of the sprinters Karalo Maibuca and Matie Stanley, both of whom were competing in their first Olympics. Neither Maibuca nor Stanley managed to progress beyond the preliminary rounds of their events, although Maibuca set a Tuvaluan national record of 11.42 seconds in the men's 100 metres.
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