In Taekwondo, Team Papua New Guinea’s Gibson Mara showed resilience in the Men's +80kg Qualification Contest, winning the first round. Despite his strong efforts, he narrowly lost 1-2 to Kasra Mehdipournejad of the Olympic Refugee Team, showcasing his potential on the Olympic stage. Meanwhile, Venice Traill from Fiji competed in the Women's +67kg Round of 16. Facing Great Britain’s Rebecca McGowan, Traill battled hard but was ultimately defeated 0-2. Her performance marked an important milestone as one of the first Fijian Taekwondo athletes to compete at the Olympic Games.

Weightlifting brought mixed emotions for the Pacific athletes. Samoa’s Don Opeloge faced a tough day in the Men's 102kg event, as he was unable to register a snatch lift after three attempts at 170kg, resulting in a Did Not Finish (DNF). On a brighter note, Vanuatu’s Ajah Pritchard-Lolo made history as the first female weightlifter from her country to compete in the Olympic Games. Competing on her 23rd birthday, she finished 11th overall in the Women's 81kg event with a total of 197kg, marking a memorable debut.

In Wrestling, Team Samoa’s Gaku Akazawa faced a formidable opponent in the Men's Freestyle 65kg 1/8 Final. Akazawa was defeated 0-10 by Islam Dudaev of Albania, who secured a victory by superiority (VSU).

While the results may not have gone entirely in favor of our Pacific athletes, their performances and determination highlight the growing presence of the Pacific nations on the Olympic stage.