Tokelau has been accepted onto the Commonwealth Wrestling Board but further hurdles remain to compete at the Commonwealth Games.
The New Zealand territory, which has a local population of just 1500, is recognised by the sport's global governing body, United World Wrestling, but not the Commonwealth Games Federation.
Ilai Elekana Manu, who has won eight Oceania medals representing Tokelau, was working as a sports services manager during the wrestling competition at last month's Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast when he talked his way into attending a meeting for all Commonwealth wrestling nations.
"Because I was there at the time I took that as an opportunity to attend, even though Tokelau didn't have a formal invitation, but because of my networks there I asked the people organising if I could sit in for my own agenda, which was to push for Tokelau to be included in the Commonwealth Championships," he said.
"I'd been trying for the last four or so years and every time the reason we couldn't was because we didn't have a Commonwealth Games Association recognised by the Commonwealth Games Federation."
Daniel Robbin from United World Wrestling, Ilai Elekana Manu and meeting chair, Wrestling Federation of Portugal President Pedro Silva. edro Silva he chaired the meeting behalf of UWW he is a UWW bureau member and President of Wrestling Federation of Portugal Photo: Supplied/Ilai Elekana Manu
Manu said Tokelau's opportunity came when the sport's global governing body took control of the Commonwealth Championships.
"With the way it's been formatted now it's come under the international federation and because Tokelau have affiliation to the international federation that was kind of the window that got us into these championships."
Tokelau's Ilai Elekana Manu has won eight Oceania medals in wrestling. Photo: Supplied
In order to be recognised by the Commonwealth Games Federation, Tokelau must have at least five sporting bodies recognised by their respective international federations.
With wrestling already in the bag, Manu is hopeful this latest development will further press their case.
"I see this is as an avenue to kind of push. I mean if we are accepted to compete amongst the Commonwealth nations with wrestling, the Commonwealth Games that come around every four years would be a progression. I mean it's the same level of competitors - we won't be facing anyone else new - so if wrestling or the international federation can accept Tokelau to compete there why should the Commonwealth Games be any different."
Ilai Elekana Manu, who previously worked as a Regional Development Officer for Oceania Wrestling, was also elected as one of seven members on the Commonwealth Wrestling Board Executive.
