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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 is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. The country 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. It is composed of three reef islands and six atolls spread out between the latitude of 5° to 10° south and longitude of 176° to 180°, west of the International Date Line. Tuvalu has a population of 10,507. The total land area of the islands of Tuvalu is 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi).
The traditional music of Tuvalu consists of dances, including fatele, fakanau and fakaseasea. The influence of the Samoan missionaries sent to Tuvalu by the London Missionary Society from the 1860s resulted in the suppression of songs about the traditional religions or magic and many songs were lost. As the influence of the missionaries diminished in the 20th century the traditional dances were revived and the siva dance tradition from Samoa also became popular. The fatele, in its modern form, is performed at community events and to celebrate leaders and other prominent individuals.
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 sprinter and footballer.
Eselealofa 'Ese' Apinelu is a Tuvaluan lawyer and sports official. Apinelu attended The Cathedral School, Townsville, Queensland, Australia. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tasmania in 1998. She is Tuvalu's first female lawyer.
Tuvalu participates in the Olympic Games in the Summer Olympics. They have yet to compete at the Winter Olympics.
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.
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 recognized 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 recognized 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.
| Summer Olympic Sports |
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| Winter Olympic Sports |
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| Other IOC Recognised Sports |
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| Paralympics and Disabled Sports | ||
| Others Sports |
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| Africa (CAA) |
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| Asia (AAA) | ||||||||||||||
| Europe (EAA) | ||||||||||||||
| North America (NACAC) | ||||||||||||||
| Oceania (OAA) |
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| South America (CONSUDATLE) | ||||||||||||||
| Non-World Athletics members | ||||||||||||||
† OAA associate member ǂ Suspended by the decision of the World Athletics Council | ||||||||||||||
