Self-funded Tokelau judoka hopes to inspire youth
Tokelau’s sole competing judoka at Samoa 2019 XVI Pacific Games is hoping to inspire the young people of his remote islands to take up the sport, despite the challenges he has faced.
Ilai Elekana Manu had to fundraise more than AUD$4,000 to get himself and his assistant coach Tenali Iosefa to Apia.
“We’ve fundraised to get ourselves here, with the support of all our family, friends, and Tokelauan community all around the world who have given donations," he told the Pacific Games News Service before his bronze medal match on day 8.
But he stressed that “it’s never really been about the money.”
“I feel we’ve been blessed to come here and having to be self-funded has brought our community behind us a bit more.
“Obviously, we would have loved a bit more support from our own Tokelau government, but in saying that I have no bitterness or anything towards the people in charge, because it’s not about the money.
“All I want every time is the opportunity to represent Tokelau. But again, if we were offered any support, we would have taken it,” he laughs. “We never turn down any help.”
Ilai Elekana Manu (L) had to fundraise more than AUD$4,000 to get himself and his assistant coach Tenali Iosefa (R) to Apia. (Image: Pacific Games News Service)
He faced Solomon Islands' Alistar Meidani Sukhamana in the senior men under 73kg in his bronze match, hoping to match the bronze he won at the mini-Games in Vanuatu in 2017.
“In sport, it can be anyone’s day," he said before the match. "I feel well prepared, feeling good. But that’s the beauty of sport, I guess – nothing is guaranteed, and you get risk everything to just do it.”
His main focus outside of competition is to develop judo and the traditional Tokelau wrestling sport of fagatua, which Elekana learned about through wrestling.
He had to switch to judo to achieve his goal of competing at the Pacific Games.
“I’ve always wanted to come to the Pacific Games, but wrestling is not included as one of the sports, so judo was another avenue for me to come and represent Tokelau. That’s why I started. I only did about four sessions of judo before I entered the Pacific Mini-Games in Vanuatu."
He's confident he'll be able to inspire young people in Tokelau, a country of 1,500 spread of 3 islands - leading by example as an 8-medal winner, and making sport fun.
“Firstly, [young people] need to enjoy it. There’s no point in trying to recruit young people if they are not going to stick with. For us the challenge is to make our sport enjoyable. The more they do it, the better they get, the more they’ll enjoy it.
"By leading by example, by encouraging them, but making it more fun initially, and then take it from there. In our culture, whatever is you partake in, sport or whatever, win or lose, it’s all about enjoyment. That’s a big part of who we are, we dance, we sing. Everything is quite lighthearted. ”
Although born in Dunedin and raised in Auckland, and currently living in Brisbane, Elekana’s strong connection to the land of his mother means he has declined twice to play under the New Zealand flag when he has qualified for the World Championships.
“My father’s Samoan, so we grew up really knowing our culture so I feel really connected more towards the islands, than being a kiwi.
"I’m not saying that I’m not proud of being a New Zealander. It’s given me and my family many opportunities which I’m very grateful to New Zealand for, but I felt that when it came to the sport instead of choosing Samoa or New Zealand, I chose Tokelau.”
