By Nick Butler

Tonga have selected three of their four-strong team for the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games ©TASANOCMarch 3 -  Tonga has announced the identity of three of the four athletes who will represent the Pacific Island nation at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing in August.


This follows the announcement last year that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had awarded Tonga "universality places" across the four sports of archery, boxing, swimming and weightlifting. 

The trio that have now been selected consist of archer Karolaine Tatafu, boxer Siaosi Fenukitau and weightlifter Chirk Manzo..

The identity of the fourth athlete is still due to be confirmed by the Tonga Swimming Association,

The team, to be headed by Chef de Mission Hans Jensen, is twice as large as the Tonga squad which competed at the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore in 2010, consisting just of over 63kg taekwondo athlete Hulita Matekuolava and 62kg weightlifter Michael Taufa.

They finished in ninth and 11th places respectively. 

Tonga has also competed in the last eight Summer Olympics and won its first and only medal courtesy of super heavyweight boxer Paea Wolfgramm, a silver at Atlanta 1996,

Bruno Banani made history by becoming Tonga's first Winter Olympian last month ©Getty ImagesBruno Banani made history by becoming Tonga's first Winter Olympian last month
©Getty Images



Last month they also celebrated participating at a Winter Olympics for the first time as luge athlete Bruno Banani finished 32nd in the men's singles.

Tonga Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee (TASNOC) secretary general Takitoa Taumoepeau,spoke positively about the "notable increase" in participation for the second Youth Olympics.

"We are having the Pacific Games 2019 in mind and if these kids do well, they are going to be competitive and hopefully win medals for Tonga at that Game," he said.

The Summer Youth Olympic Games are due begin on August 16 and last until August 28. 

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