AOC to support 11 Pacific countries for Olympics

The Australian Government and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) are working in partnership to support over 170 Olympic and Paralympic athletes from 11 Pacific nations to prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, many Pacific athletes face significant challenges in completing final training programs and critical qualifying events.

With support from the Australian Government's PacificAus Sports program, Pacific teams and athletes will be able to train and compete in qualification events, giving them the greatest opportunity to realise their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.

Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne said sport sits close to the heart of Australia's special bond with the Blue Pacific.

An estimated 150 Olympic athletes from the Pacific Island nations of Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu are looking to secure a spot on their respective Olympic Games' teams.

An additional twenty Paralympic athletes will represent Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands, PNG, Kiribati, Samoa and Tonga at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

The AOC is working with the respective Pacific Olympic committees and their representative body, the Oceania National Olympic Committees, is helping coordinate efforts to identify and support athlete's training and qualification plans.

By Romeka Romena