What's New

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#FF0000" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="098005a0dvlddx.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tonga Judo Association"><U><B>HOME</B></U></A><B>     | </B><B> </B><B> </B><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Tonga Judo Association</B></FONT></div> <div> <B>  What's New</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Calendar"><U><B>Calendar</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Schedules"><U><B>Schedules</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Squad"><U><B>Squad</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="History"><U><B>History</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Competitions"><U><B>Competitions</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photos"><U><B>Photos</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Other"><U><B>Other</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SPONSORS"><U><B>SPONSORS</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Favorite Links"><U><B>Favorite Links</B></U></A></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="anchor"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div>   What's New</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:lennie@kalianet.to" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:lennie@kalianet.to"><U><B>mailto:lennie@kalianet.to</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Click above to contact TJA!</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="12fb5880.jpg" border=0 width="181" height="136" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Tonga medalists in Sydney March '00 Kristina Faka'osi,  Heimuli Faka'osi, Siaosi Taufui and the  team captain Epoki Faka'osi.</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>               </B></div> <div> <B>                                    <IMG SRC="196e1960.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="150" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="19963310.gif" border=0 width="99" height="49" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">    Tonga Communications Corporation donate $1,000 to be used for Tonga Judo participation in </B><B>VIOC & NSW September 2001. </B></div> <div> Photo show team manager (and competitor) 'Akapei Latu accepting the donation from General Manager Jon Morris and Ms. Tai'atu 'Ata'ata-Cocker from the TCC.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="18fa0cc0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="204" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">     <IMG SRC="1924acb0.jpg" border=0 width="330" height="203" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Tonga's team for VIOC & NSW in "Q-Nia Embroidery" made uniform.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tonga select 5 judoka for VIOC and NSW tournaments, </B>being Epoki Faka'osi (Men -81kg), Siaosi Taufui (Jr Men -81kg), Akapei Latu (Men -73kg), Ahotau Funaki (Jr Men -66kg) and Heimuli Faka'osi (Jr Men -60kg).</div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="17e537d0.jpg" border=0 width="83" height="125" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="185597d0.jpg" border=0 width="89" height="125" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="182597d0.jpg" border=0 width="89" height="125" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="184647d0.jpg" border=0 width="100" height="125" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="187597d0.jpg" border=0 width="89" height="125" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div>      <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Epoki                Siaosi               Akapei             Ahotau             Heimuli</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Epoki Faka'osi returned to Tonga Friday 24th of August 2001 </B>to spend some time with family and judo friends before heading Tonga's team to Victoria Open International Championships (VIOC) in Melbourne and New South Wales Open International (NSW) in Sydney - both tournaments in September 2001.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Epoki Faka'osi represented Tonga in the World Judo Championships 2001 </B>hosted by Munich, Germany. In Epoki's first round match against Estonia's Budolin (European Champion and Bronze winner Sydney Olympics) Epoki did show the gains made during 4 months US training by offering Budolin a fierce competition. Budolin won and landed Silver in these World Championships.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tonga returned from Tri-Nation Tournament 2001 with 3 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze. </B>Kristina Faka'osi 2 gold, Toetu'u Mata'u 1 gold & 1 silver, Akapei Latu 1 silver & 1 bronze and Siaosi Taufui 1 silver.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Selected team for Tri-Nations</B> is Akapei Latu, Siaosi Taufui, Toetu'u Mata'u, Kristina Faka'osi and first time selectee Ahotau Funaki.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="178e3aa0.jpg" border=0 width="227" height="170" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="17b16aa0.jpg" border=0 width="278" height="170" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>The 3rd Tri-Nation Tournament is scheduled for weekend 18-20/5/01 in Apia, Samoa. </B>Tonga hope seand a team of some 5-6 adults and few juniors. Fiji will participate also this year making the tournament a four nation event between American Samoa, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Epoki Faka'osi departed for San Fransisco in March 2001,</B> planning to stay 5 months for intensive training. The extended family offered to house Epoki making this possible. He train judo days a week alternating between Cahills & San Jose.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Epoki Faka'osi returned from Japan in early October 2001 , </B>with  the very encouraging comment "I loved it!". Epoki surely developed over this training period and word from Tokai calim he did perform very well!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Akapei Latu achieved a 7th place and Heimuli Faka'osi achieved a 5th place in NSW. </B>Siaosi Taufui showed very good skillls but suffered a minor injury forcing him out of competition. All perfomed well also at VIOC but no placing.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Akapei Latu, Siaosi Taufui and Heimuli Faka'osi departed for Australia Thursday 3/8/00 </B>to compete at Victorian International Open Championships (Melbourne 5-6/8) and New South Wales International Open (Sydney 12-13/8).</div> <div> The team will spend 1½ week with the International Judo Club in Wollongong whom offered lodging and training with their club for our small Tonga team.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Epoki Faka'osi depart for Japan on Saturday 1st of July 2000, </B>for a two months intensive judo training programme based at the the Tokai University. This in preparation of possibly receiving an Olympic Invitation to the Sydney Olympics. Our appreciation go to Brent Cooper (NZ) in assisting setting this up and of course to the Tokai University for accepting our Epoki.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Olympic Flame made it through Tonga Friday 2nd of June 2000 on it's way from Greece to Sydney. </B>Here below photos of a very proud Epoki Faka'osi carrying the same through the center of our capitol Nuku'alofa!</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="16ffabc0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="1730cbc0.jpg" border=0 width="268" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Epoki Faka'osi was a proud number 98 out of the 100 Olympic Torch runners in Tonga,</B> forming part of the Olympic Torch tour to Sydney Olympics. The Paea Wolfgramme running as number 100 and in case you do not know this name he is Tonga's, and South Pacific Islands', first ever Olympic medallist.<B> </B>With a broken wrist Paea fought himslef up to the boxing gold final honourable, but had to be satisified with the Silver medal (and making us in Tonga crazy wild of happyness doing it) and landed the Silver for himself and us proud islanders!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tonga's team returned with 2 Silver and 2 Bronze from the Oceania & South Pacific Judo Championships held in Sydney early March 2000, </B>with all members in the 7 member team performing at their best throughout the tournaments. This include also the opening ceremony when the Tongan team  performed a traditional Tongan welcome dance assisted by Sydney based Tongans.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The President of Tonga Judo Association, Lennie Niit, is the new 1st Vice President of the Oceania Judo Union. </B>This from the OJU congress held  in Sydney 10/3/00.</div> <bR> <div> <B>2nd Annual Tri-Nations Judo Tournament staged in Tonga 4/3/00 a big success </B>with a total of some 50 competitors whereof from American Samoa 10, Fiji 8 and Samoa 1. </div> <bR> <div> The competition with 17 weight categories - 10 IJF categories plus Youth -40kg and -45kg, Womens Open -57kg and +57kg and Mens Open -73kg, -81kg and +81kg. A total of 122 matches was fought over some 10 hours!</div> <bR> <div> Fiji dominated the women categories with 5 out 6 women categories seeing Fiji in top with American Samoa claiming one 1st place. The men's categories was a more even affair with Tonga claiming four 1st places, Fiji three 1st places and Samoa two 1st places.</div> <bR> <div> Full result and participation list on Competetion pages.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tonga's team for Oceania and South Pacific Judo Championships</B> during 11-13 March 2000 in Sydney, Australia, has been selected and are as follows:</div> <div> Kristina Faka'osi, Women -70kg</div> <div> Heimuli Faka'osi, Jr Men -60kg</div> <div> Siaosi Taufui, Jr Men -73kg</div> <div> Mekivila Faka'osi, Men -66kg</div> <div> Akapei Latu, Men -73kg</div> <div> Epoki Faka'osi, Men -81kg (team captain)</div> <div> Shogo Falevai, Men -100kg</div> <bR> <div> <B>Overseas teams arriving for Tonga's first international judo tournament</B> on Saturday 4th of March 2000 has been confirmed and Tonga will welcome a total of 27 judoka from Amercan Samoa, Fiji and Samoa. For results and more details go to "Competitions" and then "Tonga hosted internationals", but posting not made until after the tournament!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tonga Judo Association has nominated</B> Lennie Niit, President TJA and National Coach, for the position as 1st Vice-President of the Oceania Judo Union. Elections to take place at the OJU congress in Sydney 10/3/00.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Epoki Faka'osi</B><B> in Australia training under OOTC scholarship. </B></div> <div> Our friend Patrick Mahon in charge to ensure maximum effort in preparation for the Oceania Judo Championships in Sydney early March. The major target for Epoki to win an entry to the Sydney Olympics. Epoki departed on 27/1 and will return to Tonga 16/3 2000.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Final team selection for the Oceania Judo Championships</B> will take place Saturday 19th February. Selection made from the 11 men and 5 women training in the selection squad.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tri-Nations Tournament, hosted by Tonga Saturday 4th of March 2000,</B> </div> <div> will have 4 countries competing - American Samoa, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.</div> <bR> <div> <B>TJA will 3rd April 2000 employ a full time Judo Development Officer.</B></div> <div> Epoki Faka'osi have agreed to take 1 year off from intended studies to work with judo development full time. He himself say main motive "to give back to Tonga Judo a small sign of appreciation of what he himself gained from judo".</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>