ITTF-Oceania is pleased to recognise the support of the Australian Government through its PacificAus Sports partnership with the Australian Olympic Committee, created to provide Pacific athletes with access to high-performance training and elite competition.
Through this support and in partnership with the ITTF-Oceania, an Oceania Talent Team of Pacific athletes will attend a training camp and compete at the Auckland Open from 24-31 August 2025. The delegation will be led by ITTF-Oceania Development Officers, Ocean Belrose and Hongbo Liang.
ITTF-Oceania congratulates the following athletes on their selection to the Oceania Talent Team:
MEN: Sharky Itaia (Nauru), Geoffrey Loi (Papua New Guinea), Joshua Yee (Fiji).
WOMEN: Tammi Agari (Papua New Guinea), Tracey Mawa (Vanuatu), Maria Poila (Cook Islands).
Australian Olympic Committee CEO Mark Arbib noted, “The AOC is proud to support developing sporting pathways across the Pacific through strong collaboration with the Australian Government and our Regional Sports Federations. These initiatives aim to provide opportunities and foster long-term competitive capacity for athletes throughout the Pacific. We’re especially grateful to ITTF-Oceania for their leadership in bringing the Oceania Talent team to Auckland, an invaluable experience that will help athletes on their journeys towards LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032.”
ITTF-Oceania CEO Scott Houston commented, “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Australian Olympic Committee and PacificAus Sports, and we are appreciative of the AOC having faith in us to launch this Oceania Talent Team initiative. ITTF-Oceania has a footprint in all 24 Oceania countries and territories and can provide opportunities for Pacific athletes in their journey and growth towards World Championships, the Pacific Games, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in LA 2028 and onto a “Home Games” in Brisbane 2032.
“I am pleased that we can provide this opportunity to our athletes. Supporting this cohort is important to the ongoing development of the Oceania region. I congratulate the six athletes selected, which is a great reward for them and their National Associations for their performances at the recently concluded 2025 ITTF-Oceania Championships and 2025 Pacific Mini Games and underlines their future prospects.”
NOTES:
- This funding must be used for athletes aged over 18 years old, and is not available for athletes from Australia, New Zealand, French territories and USA territories.
- ITTF-Oceania is also seeking to develop an Oceania Talent Team initiative for junior athletes later this year.
This information has also been shared on the ITTF-Oceania website and social media platforms.