Team Melanesia Primed for Oceania Cup Challenge in Tonga

Team Melanesia is set to bring a strong squad to the Oceania Cup in Nuku‘alofa, Tonga, with the line-up featuring national record holders, Pacific Mini Games champions, and athletes fresh from the World Athletics Championships. The team-based competition will test the region’s best athletes as they compete for points across track and field against Micronesia, Polynesia, Tonga, Australia, New Zealand, Regional Australia, and Hawaii.

Among the headline names of Team Melanesia is Pais Wisil (Papua New Guinea), the equal national record holder in the men’s 100m. Wisil underlined his speed in the sprint distances earlier this year by progressing to the semi-finals in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships.

Fiji’s Heleina Young enters Tonga as one of the most in-form athletes in the Pacific. Crowned the Most Outstanding Female Athlete at the recent Pacific Mini Games in Palau, Young collected multiple medals and established herself as a dominant force across the sprints and relays for Team Fiji. She will be a key figure in leading Melanesia’s women’s campaign.

From Vanuatu, Chloe David OLY (Vanuatu) returns to the Oceania Cup fresh from competing at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Similarly, Stephen Rahuasi (Solomon Islands) brings valuable global competition exposure after making his debut at the World Championships earlier this month.

Melanesia will also look to the experience of Daniel Baul (PNG), dual gold medallist at the Pacific Mini Games. Lakona Gerega (PNG), the javelin specialist, and javelin national record holder who claimed gold in Palau, bolsters the field events, while Karo Iga (PNG), the combined events specialist, provides versatility and consistency across multiple disciplines.

Team Melanesia is further strengthened by Scholastica Herman and Raylyne Kanam (PNG), who both impressed in Palau, along with Fiji’s Errol Qaqa, Serena Viriviri, Maryann Macedru, Samuela Vunivalu and Loata Lewageena, who across the track and field events. Papua New Guinean athletes further strengthen the team with Monica Kalua, Jiuteis Robinson, and Lucas Osida covering multiple events for Team Melanesia. Norfolk Island is represented by their international throws representative Taleyah Jones bringing specialist skills in the Hammer Throw event.  

The team will be managed by Vaciseva Tavaga (Fiji) and Brett Green (Papua New Guinea), bringing a depth of experience as both athletes, coaches and managers to lead Team Melanesia at the Oceania Cup in Tonga.

The Oceania Cup runs from 29^th October to November 1^st at Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku’alofa Tonga.

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The Oceania Cup 2025 & Oceania Athletics Masters Cup & Oceania Cup Junior and Para Invitation is an exciting athletics event bringing together the best of Pacific athletics across Senior, Junior, Para, and Masters divisions. Held from October 29 to November 1 in Nuku‘alofa, Tonga, the event features a team-based Senior competition with regional squads from Australia, New Zealand, Regional Australia, Tonga, Hawaii, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Alongside the elite action, rising stars (U16–U20), para-athletes, and Masters (30+) competitors will take the stage, in a high energy, International Competition in the heart of Tonga.