4 Sep 2013

Sport: Medals shared round on first day in Wallis

5:15 am on 4 September 2013

The medals were shared round on the first day of competition at the Pacific Mini Games in Wallis and Futuna.

New Caledonia led the way on the track, Tahiti excelled on the water while a number of nations impressed in weightlifting.

Vinnie Wylie reports from Wallis.

"Veteran runner Nordine Benfoda won the first gold medal of the Games, defending his ten thousand metres title from the Pacific Games in Noumea two years ago. Compatriot Linda Selui won the women's javelin while Tapoki Tereapi'i from the Cook Islands took out the women's discus. In the Va'a, traditional heavyweights Tahiti made a clean sweep of both the men's and women's V6 1500m and V6 500m sprint finals, with Wallis and Futuna picking up three silvers and a bronze. While in the Kafika Hall, Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia were among the gold medallists in weightlifting. Tuvalu's Lapua Lapua also claimed his country's first ever gold medal in major competition, winning gold in the 62 kilogram snatch."

The first medals to be decided on day two are the women's ten thousand metres this morning.