| Tuvalu at the 2024 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| IOC code | TUV |
| NOC | Tuvalu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee |
| Website | www |
| inParis, France 26 July 2024 (2024-07-26) – 11 August 2024 (2024-08-11) | |
| Competitors | 2 (1 man and 1 woman) in 1 sport |
| Flag bearers (opening) | Karalo Maibuca Temalini Manatoa |
| Flag bearer (closing) | Karalo Maibuca |
| Medals |
|
| Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
Tuvalu competed at the2024 Summer Olympics inParis, France, which were held from 26 July to 11 August 2024. The country's participation in Paris marked its fifth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in2008. The athlete delegation of the country was composed of two people:Karalo Maibuca andTemalini Manatoa, both competing inathletics. The delegation was supported by a collaboration between theAustralian Government and theAustralian Olympic Committee, which was made for the development of sport in Pacific nations.
Maibuca and Manatoa qualified for the games after receivinguniversality slots in their events, which allows underrepresented nations to compete and permits for aNational Olympic Committee (NOC) to send athletes despite not meeting the other qualification criteria. Manatoa competed in thewomen's 100 metres but ran in a time not fast enough to progress into further rounds, though she set a personal best in the event. Similarly, Maibuca ran in themen's 100 metres and also did not progress further after not finishing with a fast enough time, though set a newTuvaluan national record in the event. Thus, Tuvalu has yet to win an Olympic medal.
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The games were held from 26 July to 11 August 2024, in the city ofParis, France.[1] This edition of the games marked Tuvalu's fifth appearance at theSummer Olympics since itsdebut at the2008 Summer Olympics inBeijing, China. No athlete from Tuvalu had ever won a medal at the Olympics; the best performance was the eleventh place of weightlifterTuau Lapua Lapua in themen's 62 kg event at the 2012 Summer Olympics inLondon, England.[2]
In the lead-up to the games, theAustralian Government announced a collaboration with theAustralian Olympic Committee to assist over 230 athletes from 13 Pacific nations[a] for the 2024 Summer Olympics and2024 Summer Paralympics, which included the Marshall Islands. The collaboration was made to create opportunities for said nations to compete in international competition, gain access to coaching, and to developsports diplomacy. To announce the partnership,para table tennis playerIoane Hawaii hosted an exhibition game withHigh Commissioner of Australia to Tuvalu Brenton Garlick.[4] The delegation went to a training camp inDivonne-les-Bains with other Pacific athletes for their preparations for the games.[5]
The Tuvaluan delegation came in 192nd out of the 205National Olympic Committees in the2024 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations within theopening ceremony. Maibacua and Manatoaheld the flag for the delegation in the parade.[6] They wore traditional Tuvaluan attire for the ceremony.[7] At theclosing ceremony, Maibuca held the flag.[8]
| Sport | Men | Women | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletics | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Tuvalu was eligible foruniversality slots to send athletics competitors to the games, which allows aNational Olympic Committee to send athletes despite not meeting the standard qualification criteria.[10] The nation selected sprintersKaralo Maibuca andTemalini Manatoa, who would compete in themen's 100 metres andwomen's 100 metres respectively.[11][12] Maibuca was a returning Olympian, having competed previously at the2020 Summer Olympics inTokyo, Japan, in the same event, though he did not qualify for further rounds after the heats (preliminary rounds).[13]
Prior to the games, Maibuca left the nation to study and train at theUniversity of the South Pacific inSuva, Fiji.[14] He trained abroad as Tuvalu does not have an athletics track, with theFunafuti International Airport's runway often being used as a replacement track.[15] He aimed to surpass his national record and personal best in the 100 metres of 11.42 seconds that he set at the previous Summer Games.[16][17]
The athletics events were held at theStade de France. Manatoa competed in the preliminary rounds of thewomen's 100 meters on 2 August 2024 at 10:59 a.m.,[b] where she raced in the fourth round. She ran in a time of 14.04 seconds for a new personal best in the event, placed eighth out of the nine people in her round, and did not advance further.[18] After her round, she was seen in tears with a teamattaché pulling her aside.[19] She thanked her coach and parents after her performance, stating, "I'm doing my best."[20] The eventual winner of the event wasJulien Alfred ofSaint Lucia, who won with a time of 10.72 and earned Saint Lucia's first Olympic medal.[21]
Maibuca competed in his event on 2 August 2024 at 10:35 a.m., which was held at theStade de France. He raced in the first heat of the preliminary round against seven other competitors. He finished with a time of 11.30 seconds, placed last in the heat, and did not progress further. Despite not progressing, he set a new personal best and anational record in the event.[22]Noah Lyles of theUnited States eventually won the gold in a time of 9.784 seconds.[23]
Track & road events
| Athlete | Event | Preliminary | Heats | Semifinals | Final | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | ||
| Karalo Maibuca | Men's 100 m | 11.30NR | 7 | Did not advance | |||||
| Temalini Manatoa | Women's 100 m | 14.04PB | 8 | Did not advance | |||||
