Tokyo 2020 Day 8: Pacific Athletes - Who to watch this weekend

12:47 pm on 31 July 2021

All eyes will be on the Fijiana Sevens team when they take on New Zealand's Black Ferns Sevens in the semi-final match at 2pm.

The Fijiana 7s will also don the new Nike kit.

The Fijiana 7s will also don the new Nike kit. Photo: Fiji Rugby

The Fijiana Sevens made it through to the semi-final with a shock win over defending champions Australia, and they'll be hoping to carry that same momentum when they come up against the Black Ferns.

The loser of the match will play for bronze at 8.30pm, while the winner will be fighting for gold at 9pm.

Alex Beddoes, double gold medalist at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa, was named 2020 Cook Islands Sportsman of the Year.

Alex Beddoes, double gold medalist at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa, was named 2020 Cook Islands Sportsman of the Year. Photo: Facebook / Cook Islands Sports

The 2020 Cook Islands Sportsman of the Year, Alex Beddoes, will kick things off for Pacific nations in athletics today in the 800m heats. He competes in heat 2 at 12.58pm NZT.

At 2.35pm, Lataisi Mwea will compete for Kiribati in heat 1 of the men's 100m. Fiji's Banuve Tabakaucoro and Tonga's Ronald Fotofili will compete in heat 2 at 2.43pm.

In heat 3 of the men's 100m we will see The Federated States of Micronesia's Scott Fiti, Nauru's Jonah Harris, Palau's Adrian Ililau and Tuvalu's Karalo Maibuca all go head-to-head at 2.51pm.

Papua New Guinea's Rellie Kaputin competing at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Papua New Guinea's Rellie Kaputin competing at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Photo: AFP

On Sunday, Papua New Guinea's Rellie Kaputin will realise her dream of representing her country at the Olympics when she competes in the women's long jump at 12.50pm NZT.

"During my childhood, I've been inspired by a lot of people, but the one person that inspired me the most was my uncle. He represented PNG in one of the Commonwealth Games and watching him growing up gave me the drive to hopefully be like him one day and represent my country," she said.

At 4.50pm, Nancy Abouke from Nauru will compete in Group B of the women's 76kg in weightlifting.