Pacific sports wrap: Historic wins, title bouts and major milestones from across the region
Pacific athletes and sporting leaders continue to make headlines on the international stage, with stand-out performances, major milestones and international recognition.
From Papua New Guinea boxer John Ume’s shot at an interim welterweight title and American Samoa’s historic upset victory over the United States at the Flag Football World Championships, Pacific athletes continue to showcase their growing impact in sport.
Boxing
Papua New Guinea’s John Ume will fight Hamza Perwaisy for the BX-9 Interim Welterweight championship after finalist Riley Allan suffered a broken hand.
The winner of Ume vs Perwaisy will then fight Allan once his hand has healed for the BX-9 undisputed Welterweight title.
The interim championship will take place on October 3, with 10 x 3-min rounds at North Shore Events Centre in Auckland, New Zealand.
In the lead-up to the fight, Ume will be based in Sydney for a month to train and has secured his first corporate commercial partners in Papua New Guinea.
Meanwhile back home in Papua New Guinea, Ume recently visited the Resurrection school in Oro province where he spoke to the students and shared a piece of his journey into boxing with the children.
He shared in a social media post that he stressed the importance of reading and being disciplined to be successful in all walks of life.
“In order to be a better boxer, I had to read about great boxers, about boxing techniques, about diet and stay away from drugs, alcohol or buai.”
CrossFit
The 11th annual TOA Games kicked off on Friday, August 14 at Apia Park in Samoa with rope climbs, worm bag movements and high-intensity cardio.
As one of the only CrossFit competitions hosted by a Pacific island, the event has grown to include a number of overseas teams and individuals competing against locals in five challenges.
The remainder of the event challenges were held at CrossFit Fatu Toa and concluded on Saturday, August 15, with prizes.
RX
- 1st — Apex Predators, The Hybrid Formula, South Auckland, NZ
- 2nd — Voyagers, The Hybrid Formula, South Auckland, NZ
- 3rd — Falai Maukegi, CrossFIt Fatutoa, Samoa
SCALED
- 1st — Funkfit American Samoa
- 2nd — Athletic-ish, CrossFit Fatutoa, Samoa
- 3rd — Team Inspired, CrossFit Fatutoa, Samoa
Cycling
The 10th Tour of Sāmoa launched on Saturday 15 August, with 20 riders taking part. It began with a colourful parade of bikes led by the Samoa police band through Apia.
The parade was followed by the Prologue Time Trial at Tuana’imato, where riders battled for the first leader jerseys of the Tour and for Sāmoa Cycling national time trial honours.
Following the Prologue, the leading riders are:
- 1.Glenn Kirk — Bike Manawatu, yellow jersey & overall tour leader
- 2.Jett Curteis — Second Overall and Sāmoa cycling men’s time trial champion
- 3.Summer Karras — KMC Racing Christchurch, pink jersey — women’s tour leader and third overall
- 4.Victoria Cairns — Āleisā, Sāmoa cycling women’s time trial champion for the second year
Full Sāmoa Cycling Time Trial Results:
Course: 4.2km — Tuana’imato
- 1.Jett Curteis (Māngere Cycling & Triathlon) — 6:00 mins
- 2.Wally Collins (Afega) — 7:06
- 3.Vicky Cairns (Āleisā) — 7:21
- 4.Tim Robertson (Brisbane) — 7:23
- 5.Nigel Curteis (Māngere Cycling & Triathlon) — 7:33
- 6.Samasoni Nimarota (Leusoali’i Club) — 8:44
- 7.Jay Krishna (Tanoa Club) — 8:56
- 8.Corry Matagiiliu (Leusoali’i Club) — 10:36
The results set the stage for a week of racing as the 10th tour of Samoa continues across Upolu and Savai’i.
Flag football
American Samoa men’s Flag football squad handed USA men’s team their first loss in an international tournament in 14 years when they beat them 38-32 at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Dusseldorf, Germany.
American Samoa were the smallest and lowest-ranked nation when they debuted in the tournament last week.
“We put our island on the map,” American Samoa wide receiver Vailele Peko said to Olympics.com
“I hope everybody’s awake now. We were written out, world No. 33. And I hope everybody sees that we are somebody, we are who we are, we could play this game and we’re here to stay.”
The team, which featured quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, younger brother of NFL star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, went on to make it to the quarter-finals but bowed out after a 14 — 24 loss against Canada.
Flag football has been included in the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028, and although American Samoa have missed out on qualifying through the IFAF World Championships, there will be another three spots awarded at the Olympic Q-Series in June 2028.
NFL
Former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle and Super Bowl XLVII champion Haloti Ngata and his family were back in the Kingdom of Tonga recently for a cultural and environmental exchange.
Ngata and his family’s visit was hosted by the Civil Society Forum of Tonga and the Laurel-based non-profit Friends of Tonga.
During the visit, Ngata and his family worked alongside local volunteers on ecological initiatives such as planting mangrove seedlings and participated in a demonstration of companion planting.
“Working alongside community members, planting mangroves, and learning more about the efforts to protect Tonga’s environment made this a truly memorable experience for our family,” the Ngata family said in a statement.
Rugby Union
Fijiana
Fijiana XV hosted the Springbok women in Fiji for the first time on home soil for a two-test series with the inaugural Ubuntu-Bula trophy up for grabs.
Fijiana entered the series under newly appointed head coach Willie Walker from New Zealand and went down 55-12 to the Boks in their first clash last weekend in Suva.
On Saturday at Churchill Park in Lautoka, it was a much closer game with Fijiana up at the half-time break 10-5 before falling short of victory 22-29 to the Springbok women.
Fiji Rugby posted this message to the Springbok women on their social media accounts:
“Vinaka vakalevu for coming to our small island nation — not only to compete against the Vodafone Fijiana XV, but to champion and grow women’s rugby. The energy, spirit and enthusiasm you brought to Fiji have been truly inspiring and have left a lasting impact on our rugby community.”
Valley Hunters Rugby Club
Former Australian Wallabies team-mates Israel Folau and Will Genia reunited on the rugby field for the first time in eight years when they laced up for the Valley Hunters Rugby Club in Port Moresby on Friday, August 14, in the Capital Rugby Union competition.
They took on the UniRFC Piggies at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby and won 33 — 7.
Shivermedia reported that The Valley Hunters hope Folau’s visit will help promote rugby union in PNG and inspire local players.
While Folau was in town, he participated in a meet and greet with fans, a Q&A session and a Pickleball tournament at the Aviat Club in Port Moresby.
Folau stated on his social media that it was special taking the field with Genia again.
“Loved getting amongst the community, meeting some great people and experiencing the love PNG has for the game.”
Rugby Challenge Uvea U18
Wallis and Futuna hosted the Under 18s rugby challenge last week with teams from Fiji — Nawaka, New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga and Tuvalu participating.
There were three Under 18s women’s teams who were part of the competition from Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia and Fiji — Nawaka
Samoa finished on top, followed by Fiji-Nawaka and the Solomon Islands.
Rugby league
Murray Taulagi
Samoa international, Queensland Maroons and North Queensland Cowboys winger Murray Taulagi has signed with French rugby club Vannes for the next two seasons.
The 27-year-old made his NRL debut with the Cowboys in 2019 but had previously played and trained in rugby union before making the switch to rugby league.
His arrival in Vannes will mark a return to rugby union, ten years after leaving the sport.
In the Vannes Rugby Club press release, Taulagi said he was eager to take on the new challenge.
“I can’t wait to join my new teammates, step out of my comfort zone, immerse myself in this new culture and meet the RCV fans!”
Fiji National Rugby League
The Hon Peter Beattie, ARLC Commissioner, Heather Beattie and Anthony Trimarchi, NRL General Manager — Pacific Strategy, have arrived in Fiji to meet with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Minister for Youth and Sports Jesse Saukuru on August 16 for the signing of the historic Pacific partnership document with the Fiji government.
The Pacific Rugby League Partnership is a long-term partnership between the ARLC, Australian government and rugby league partners in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga and supports the growth of rugby league at all levels of the game.
Last month, ARLC chairman Peter V’landys signed the historic document in Brisbane alongside counterparts from the PNG Rugby Football League, Tonga Rugby League XIII and Rugby League Samoa.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, PNG Prime Minister James Marape, Samoan PM Laʻaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt, and Tongan PM Lord Fakafanua, together with senior representatives from their respective governments, were present to witness the landmark moment.
Soccer
Solomon Islands’ Central Coast FC have secured their place in the semi-finals of the OFC Men’s Champions League with a win over New Caledonia’s AS Tiga Sport 2-0.
They’ll now face Group B winners Galaxy FC from Vanuatu.
Meanwhile, Auckland City FC defeated Tahiti’s AS Venus 4-3 in a thrilling Group A finale, where they were down 1-2 at the half-time break but managed to stage a comeback in the second half.
Auckland City FC will take on Fiji’s Rewa FC in their semi-final.
Both semi-final games will be played on Wednesday, August 19 in Ba, Fiji.
Weightlifting
Tuaopepe Asiata Jerry Wallwork
President and coach of Samoa’s Weightlifting Federation and President of Samoa’s Sports and National Olympic Committee, Tuaopepe Asiata Jerry Wallwork, has been elected President of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation.
Tuaopepe was elected to the role at the CWF Congress held in Glasgow, Scotland on July 31, which concluded alongside the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
He is one of only a few Pacific island sports administrators to head a global Commonwealth sporting federation.
Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships
Samoa has officially been named the host country for the upcoming Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in March 2027.
This landmark tournament will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the championships and will serve as an official Olympic qualification event for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
For the first time in history, all 45 Commonwealth member nations are expected to travel directly to Apia to participate.
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