Football - Oceania final
New Zealand will face Fiji in the final of the Oceania Football Confederation U-19 championship this weekend.
In Wednesday's semi-finals, New Zealand beat the Cook Islands 5-0 while Fiji defeated Samoa 3-1.
Samoa and the Cook Islands will now play off for third place on Saturday afternoon.
The final will be played Saturday evening at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
Football - Kaltak's homecoming
Vanuatu football captain Brian Kaltak was given a hero's welcome when he returned to his home village of Erakor.
Kaltak became the first player from the Pacific to win the A-League when the Central Coast Mariners won the Grand Final last month.
The Oceania Football Center website reports the atmosphere in Erakor was electrifying as the local authority, the Vanuatu Football Federation, and passionate supporters welcomed the central defender back.
The village was adorned with colourful banners and flags.
After the A-League final, Kaltak jetted off to India with the Vanuatu team to contest the Intercontinental Cup where they beat Mongolia and lost to Lebanon and India.
Karate - Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands team returned from the Oceania Karate Federation Championship in New Zealand with four bronze medals.
It was the athletes' first international karate tournament.
Sport Development Officer for karate and coach, Selwyn Kuru was reported in the The Solomon Star as saying that karate's aim is to win medals for the country at the upcoming 2023 Pacific Games in November.
The Solomon Islands medal winners from the Oceania Karate Federation Championship in New Zealand with coach Selwyn Kuru. Photo: Supplied
"Our build-up so far, our aim for this Pacific Games in karate, we are aiming for medals," he said.
Joe Kwasui won bronze in the men's 75kg, while Jacinta Uriga, Mary Liu and Hazel Uate'e won bronze in the women's 61kg, 55kg and 50kg weight categories.
The team of 12 athletes had trained at the Gold Coast Performance Centre in Australia for four days before travelling to Christchurch for the tournament.
Pacific Games - Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Mannaseh Sogavare farewelled 80 athletes in Honiara on July 5, telling them the hopes of the nation are with them.
The athletes leave for China for an intensive 90-day training programme.
They represent seven sports the hosts believe they can win medals in at the upcoming 2023 Pacific Games, hosted by Solomon Islands.
"Our 80 athletes, go with God's blessings. Train well. Train true and make yourselves, your families, and your country proud," Sogavare said.
Sogavare said the selection of the seven sports is strategic, because the sports offer Solomon Islands the greatest opportunity to compete for medals.
The Pacific Games begins in Honiara on November 19.
Futsal - Solomons
Solomon Islands has suffered two close defeats to Australia in the futsal series between the two sides.
On Monday, Australia won 3-2 after leading 2-0.
On Wednesday the Futsalroos clinched the series with a 5-3 win in Sydney.
Solomons had their best-ever result against the Futsalroos on Saturday, a 1-1 draw.
Rugby - Fiji finances
Fiji rugby fans will have to be the lifeline for a financially depleted Fiji Rugby Union, its Trustees Board chairman said.
Peter Mazey told the Fiji Times he would ask fans for donations of $1 each to help the union financially.
Mazey said he will go out to ask all Fijians to help the union clear over FJ$3.5 million in debt.
