Moana Kervella of French Polynesia and the French Athletics Federation was appointed as a Chief Judge at the 2024 Olympic Games. Moana becomes the first French Polynesian athletics referee to officiate at an Olympic Games. Paving the way for Pacific people to officiate at international events leading into an “Oceania” Games in Brisbane 2032.

Moana, a World Athletics Silver Referee, served as one of the Chief Judges in the horizontal jumps during the games. Initially appointed to the technical official pool in November, it was on March 26th Moana was appointed to the Chief Judges Panel in the horizontal jumps.

Speaking on his Olympic experience and his beginnings as a technical official

“When I signed up for the technical official courses, in addition to practicing correctly in all our national competitions, I always dreamed of participating in major world athletics events, I persevered despite the difficulties related to the language, not always easy in French in a mainly Anglo-Saxon world, TOECS level 2, to Silver referee now. The dream that comes true with the opportunity to officiate at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as chief judge of one of the 2 horizontal jump juries, 8 events in 9 days including the two women’s finals (LJ & TJ), a fabulous experience in an arena with always more than 70,000 spectators, a very competent team of 10 officials with the best technical equipment, and very well supervised by our very good ITOs including Helen Roberts (AUS) and Jorge Salcedo (POR).

I am convinced that this experience is accessible to everyone in our Pacific MFs, why not dream of Brisbane 2032”

Congratulations Moana on your achievements! If officiating interests, you and you want to begin on the officiating pathway: https://athletics-oceania.com/referee-pathway-formerly-known-as-technical-official/