The intention of the competition was to bring Paralympian athletes from around the Pacific for a test event in preparation for the Paralympic Games in Beijing which will be held from the 6^th to the 17^th of September 2 weeks after the Olympic Games.  The Bejing Paralympic Games will be home to elite athletes with disabilities from 150 countries competing to achieve sporting excellence in 20 sports.

 Sione (a single arm above elbow amputee) competed with athletes from PNG and Fiji and comfortably won first place in the shot put with 10.58 meters.  This is his best performance so far since the Arafura Games in Darwin Australia a year ago.  Sione has received a wild card to represent Tonga at the Paralympic Games in Beijing in shot put throw in Athletics.  “Competing in Suva helped to build up my confidence towards Beijing and with intense training and conditioning I hope to improve my personal best in September in Beijing” said Sione.

 Sione is the second athlete with a disability to take part in the Paralympics.  Tonga’s first representation at the Paralympics was Alailupe Tualau of Folaha in Sydney 2000 and in Athens 2004 in shot put as well.