Tuvalu at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Infobox Olympics Tuvalu
games=2008 Summer
competitors=3
sports=2
flagbearer= Logona Esau

Tuvalu made their first ever appearance in an Olympic Games when the country sent three athletes to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Athletes from Tuvalu will compete in two events.

Tuvalu's flagbearer during the Games' opening ceremony was weightlifter Logona Esau. [ [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/07/content_9029057.htm "Tuvaluan lifter Esau looks forward to Olympic debut"] , Xinhua, August 7, 2008]

History

The nation of Tuvalu is a Polynesian island nation, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australia. A former colony of Great Britain, the island nation became fully independent within The Commonwealth in 1978. [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tv.html CIA World Fact Book on Tuvalu] URL accessed 2006-05-13.] The nation has an approximate population of 12,000. [cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=oly&id=2928463|title=Montenegro, Tuvalu join Olympic movement|date=July 6, 2007|publisher=ESPN.com|accessdate=2008-07-31]

Tuvalu created its National Olympic Committee in 2004, [cite web|url=http://www.nbcolympics.com/countries/country=tuv/index.html|title=2008 Summer Olympics Country Profile|publisher=NBCOlympics.com|accessdate=2008-07-31] and gained International Olympic Committee recognition in 2007 during the IOC's meetings in Guatemala City. The nine small islands that comprise of Tuvalu own its own sports infrastructure. However, the nation has eleven active federations of national sports. Included in federation are the following Olympic sports: badminton, basketball, volleyball, weightlifting, tennis and table tennis.cite news |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2237 |title=Two new National Olympic Committees on board! |publisher=International Olympic Committee |date=2007-07-06 |accessdate=2007-07-08|quote ="the number of National Olympic Committees across the globe now totals 205"] The admittance of Tuvalu, along with Montenegro (who participated as Serbia and Montenegro at the 2004 Summer Olympics) and Marshall Islands brings the total number of nations competing in the 2008 Olympics to 205.

Tuvalu's international participation in sports has been limited, however weightlifter Logona Esau won the nation's first international competition medal during the Pacific Mini Games in 2005, when he won the bronze. [http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200807/s2306736.htm?tab=sport "Manoa makes Olympic history for tiny Tuvalu"] , ABC Radio Australia, July 17, 2008] He was later awarded a silver medal at the Pacific Games. [ [http://www.tuvaluislands.com/news/archives/2007/2007-08-29.htm "Tuvalu Earns Silver at South Pacific Games"] , Tuvalu News, August 29, 2007] Tuvalu will also be sending two participants to compete in Athletics (sometimes referred to as "Track & Field"). [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/19/content_8573886.htm "Tuvalu sends three athletes to Beijing"] , Xinhua, July 19, 2008] The two participants are Asenate Manoa, who will also be the nation's first female Olympian, and Okilani Tinilau. Both runners are training in Suva, Fiji alongside members of the Fiji national team.

Athletics

Legend: NR - National record

Competitors in athletics events could qualify for the next round of competition in two ways. Qualifying by right involved ranking high enough in their heat, and qualifying by result meant ranking high enough in overall standings. Ranks shown are thus those within each heat, not in overall standings.

Weightlifting

*Men's 69kg: Logona Esau will be the first Tuvaluan to participate in Olympic weightlifting. [ [http://solomonstarnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2153&change=100&changeown=102&Itemid=42 "Hale to Olympics"] , "Solomon Star", July 14, 2008]

References