Australia took 8 gold medals in Pacific games’ Taekwondo tournament and dominated in Oceania Championships © Reba Stewart's facebook page

As expected, Australian taekwondo fighters took half of 16 gold medals in the Taekwondo tournament of the Pacific Games in Solomon Islands. In women’s competition Juliet Lahood (49 kg), Stacey Hymer (57 kg), Rebecca Murray (67 kg) and Reba Stewart (+73) didn’t give any chance to their opponents. In men’s competition Benjamin Camua (59 kg), Matthew Summerfield (68 kg), Liam Sweeney (80 kg) and Tyrone Staben (87 kg) won the champions’ titles. 

Four gold medals went to the Filippine’s athletes Kawehi Yorss (women’s 62 kg), Hiritea Tepea (women’s 73 kg), Rahiti Iorss (men’s 74 kg) and Manu Huaatua (men’s +87 kg). 

Two more gold medals went to Guam as Tierra-lynn Chargualaf won the competition in women’s 53 kg weight category and Leon Ho was the strongest in men’s 63 kg weight category. The home crowd favourite Isaac Myrie was crowned a champion in the men's 54 kg weight category. The last gold medal went to Yvette Boyama (women’s 46 kg) from Papua New Guinea.

Right after the Pacific games the 11th Oceania Championship from Taekwondo started in Solomon Island. 89 athletes were competing in 8 weight categories, and the same Australian fighters, except Stacey Hymer, took the gold medals. Benjamin Camua (58 kg), Matthew Summerfield (68 kg), Liam Sweeney (80 kg) and Tyrone Staben (+80 kg) swept all gold medals in men’s competition,  Juliet Lahood (49 kg), Stacey Hymer (57 kg), Rebecca Murray (67 kg) and Reba Stewart (+67) were dominant in women’s competition. Though Stacey Hymer’s name was among the competitors, she withdrew from the tournament, and it allowed Angel Sitapa to take the gold medal to Tonga.