Tonga at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
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Tonga participated in the
2012 Summer Paralympics The 2012 Summer Paralympics, branded as the London 2012 Paralympic Games, were an international multi-sport parasports event held from 29 August to 9 September 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. They were the 14th Summer Paralympic Gam ...
in London, United Kingdom, from August 29 to September 9, 2012. Their participation marked their fourth consecutive
Summer Paralympics The Summer Paralympics also known as the Games of the Paralympiad, are an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral ...
appearance since their début at the
2000 Summer Paralympics The 2000 Summer Paralympic Games or the XI Summer Paralympics were held in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, between 18 and 29 October. The Sydney Paralympics was last time that the Summer Paralympics which were organized by two different ...
in Sydney. Tonga was represented by the Tonga National Paralympic Committee, and was one of the 45 participating countries that sent only a single athlete. Tonga has always sent only a single athlete from Sydney 2000 to London 2012. Tonga National Paralympic Committee sent a delegation of three people, including one athlete. The sole athlete to represent the nation was ʻAloʻalo Liku, who participated in javelin and discus throw. Liku was the country's flag-bearer during the Games'
opening ceremony An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event.
. Tonga did not win a medal at these Games, however Liku finished with seasonal bests in both the events.


Background

Tonga's début in the Paralympics was in Sydney during the 2000 Summer Olympics, and it has participated in every Summer Paralympics between then and the London Paralympics in 2012–numbering four in total. In all the editions of the Games, Tonga has sent only one athlete. In Sydney 2000 and in
Athens 2004 The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...
, Alailupe Tualau participated on Tonga's behalf. Mounga Okusitino represented Tonga in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. In 2012 Summer Paralympics, Tonga was one of the 45 participating countries that sent only a single athlete. The Tongan delegation for the 2012 Summer Paralympics consisted of three men. ʻAloʻalo Liku, was the only athlete and competed in the two events of athletics— javelin throw and discus throw. President of the National Paralympic Committee of Tonga, Tonga National Paralympic Committee, Viliami Tufui accompanied as a chef de mission of nation for the Games. The final member of the delegation was Tevita Vake, who joined the delegation as coach of Liku. ʻAloʻalo Liku was the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.


Athletics

ʻAloʻalo Liku represented Tonga in the men's discus F44 and the men's javelin F44. F44 is a
disability sport classification Disability sports classification is a system that allows for fair competition between people with different types of disabilities. Historically, the process has been overseen by 2 groups: specific disability type sport organizations that cover mul ...
which encompasses field athletes who are afflicted with a disability that affects their arms or legs, and it also includes amputees. Factory worker Liku started participating in athletics just two years before the Games. Since Liku was Tonga's only participant, he was also the opening ceremonies flag bearer. Javelin throw F44 event, in which ten athletes participated, was scheduled on September 2 at the
London Olympic Stadium London Stadium (formerly and also known as Olympic Stadium and the Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park) is a multi-purpose outdoor stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the Stratford, London, Stratford district of London. It is located ...
. Liku's best throw of 34.61 m came in his second attempt, and his third and final attempt was of 31.07 m. He finished tenth with a seasonal best, behind
Cape Verde , national_anthem = () , official_languages = Portuguese , national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole , capital = Praia , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , demonym ...
's Marcio Fernandes, whose best throw was 46.04 m—a regional record. On September 6, Liku competed in discus throw F44. On his sixth and last attempt, Liku threw a discus seasonal best of 32.73 m and with this finished at eighth spot in the final standings. In this event,
Jeremy Campbell Jeremy Campbell (born August 19, 1987) is an American Paralympic athlete competing mainly in F44 events. Career He competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. There he won a gold medal and set a world record in the men's Pentath ...
of United States set a new Paralympic record with a throw of 60.05 m. ;Men's Field Events


See also

* Summer Paralympic disability classification * Tonga at the Paralympics *
Tonga at the 2012 Summer Olympics Tonga participated in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, which were held from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The country's participation in London marked its eighth appearance in the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 1984 Summ ...


References


External links


Tonga
at london2012.com {{NPCin2012SummerParalympics Nations at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
2012 in Tongan sport