Fiji

In a thrilling contest at Apia Park Stadium, Tabakaucoro was victorious in 20.87 seconds, inches ahead of Dodson who finished in 20.91 seconds. Papua New Guinea’s Theo Piniau snatched bronze in 21.70 seconds.

Both Tabakaucoro and Dodson fell after crossing the finish line, sending the medics out onto the field.

The Fijian admitted he was feeling very sore after the competition. “I expected to finish strong but not to fall over like that, but it just shows the level of competition here,” Tabakaucoro told the Pacific Games News Service.

Eddie McCaig said half the estimated 60,000 people in Fiji with diabetes did not realise they had the illness because they ignored early signs like thirst and excessive urination.

Fiji can't afford the high cost of the amputations, as well as eye surgery and kidney failure caused by diabetes, he said.

"What I keep reminding people is that when we get to see them, we have no option but to cut the limb off," Prof McCaig said.

"When we say 'one amputation every twelve hours', about 40 per cent of the surgery done in this country is for amputation," he said.

Defending men's champions New Caledonia opened with a 5-0 win over American Samoa before Pool B rivals Solomon Islands upped the ante with a 13-0 thrashing of Tuvalu.

However Bonitos head coach Wim Rijsbergen was not getting carried away with much tougher games still to come.

Charlotte Robin defended her title after winning the Open Water Swimming competition today.  
New Caledonia took the silver medal after Miana Flament came in second.
Fiji’s Matelita Buadromo settled for a bronze, which is Fiji’s first medal at the Games.

Today is the first day of competition following a spectacular opening ceremony in Apia, Sunday evening.

David Paul and Michelle Calanog Paul from Fort Worth in Texas arrived in Fiji for a holiday on 22 May and reportedly died within days of each other.

The Ministry said it had advised the couple's family of their findings after an extensive investigation with help from the US Centre for Disease Control, the World Health Organisation and a medical forensics unit in Australia.

The Ministry said there was no risk to the public and the five people in contact with the deceased couple were under observation, but they are all in good health and have returned to work.

RLIF CEO Nigel Wood confirmed on the eve of Saturday’s opening round of Oceania Cup matches between New Zealand and Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium and Samoa and Papua New Guinea at Leichhardt Oval that the international body wanted to play games in the Pacific islands.

An RLIF meeting in Singapore earlier this month agreed that the Oceania Cup would be staged mid-year and at the end of the season on an annual basis, except in 2021 and 2025 when the World Cup is held.

The couple presented with an illness while holidaying in the Western Division.

They were provided with medical treatment but their illnesses progressively worsened and despite best efforts, they died within a few days of each other.

At this stage the Ministry is conducting investigations into the possible causes and has also put in place necessary public health measures.

A US media report said the couple's family believe they might have contracted a virus.

The couple, who have a young son, were understood to be in the middle of round the world trip.

 Gocmenoglu lifted a weight of 132kg in the “snatch” category and 150kg in the “Clean and Jack” category. His total weight lifted is 282kg.

In second place is HUANG Yudi of China. Huang lifted a weight of 122kg in the “snatch” category and 155kg in the “Clean and Jack” category. His total weight lifted is 277kg.

Third place is KIMURI Yuki (10.03.1999) of Japan. Kimuri lifted a weight of 122kg in the “snatch” category and 146kg in the “Clean and Jack” category. His total weight lifted is 628kg.

Mr Guterres will receive a traditional welcome Wednesday morning in Suva before meeting the chair of the Pacific Islands Forum Baron Waqa and Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor.

The UN chief will meet Fiji's president and hold bilateral talks with the Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama on Thursday before addressing parliament.

Mr Guterres has been invited to lay a wreath at the national war memorial in Veiuto and sail around Suva harbour on a traditional sailing canoe.

He leaves on Saturday for Tuvalu and ends his Pacific island tour in Vanuatu.

A protest march had also been planned in Nadi on Saturday, but the Fiji Transport Authority refused to issue a permit, saying it would impede the safe movement of traffic.

Several union leaders who were arrested on Wednesday were released from police custody late on Thursday, but the secretary of the Fiji Trades Union Congress, Felix Anthony, and about two dozen of his colleagues were still being held, the congress said. No charges have been laid.