Tahiti has one aim only and that is to win as many gold as they can in every sport in this year’s XVI Pacific Games. 

The team’s P.G.A. President, Provost Louis, said their contingency comprises of 441 athletes of which 160 are females and 180 males.

“There’s no secret behind our success, like any athletes in the Pacific, we work hard, and we get hurt in our training just to win gold and medals for our country,” Provost said.

“The athletes give their all and fight with their heart, each athlete wins for their country.”

He said the team collected 10 gold medals in Va’a, five in swimming and three in badminton. Yesterday, the team added a gold medal with a win by Freddy Yen Kway, who scored 550/600 points in the individual pistol discipline, during the shooting competition. 

“Our aim is to finish first in shooting this year just like we did in Papua New Guinea during the 2015 Pacific Games,” Provost said.  

“We’ve always come in second or third in the Pacific Games behind New Caledonia. 

“In 2007, New Caledonia took the title, we were second and Samoa was just behind us by one gold medal.”

Provost added some of their athletes study in France, but they return not only for the Pacific Games but the Oceania Games as well. 

“Va’a is the number one sport in Tahiti,” he said.

“We have 10 gold medals in Va’a, five in swimming, badminton three gold medals, and today one gold medal in shooting.”

Team Tahiti looks forward to the second week of the Games to get more gold medals 

“We want the first place in shooting that is why we are here, like in Papua New Guinea.

“We want the gold like all the other teams.”