PMG Connects Family

It is not unusual to have siblings in sports teams representing their country. The unusual feature about this family is that they are representing two different countries.

Although they have been able to keep in touch by distance, meeting each other at this Pacific Mini Games has been the first time that they have actually seen each other since Faitoa left Nauru.

Although they are living in separate camps - Faitoa is with Samoa at Nukutere College in Avarua, while Francis is with Nauru at Tereora College in Nikao - they have tried to make as much time as possible to be with each other, in between their training sessions.

Faitoa (20) is a weightlifter for Samoa and her brother Francis (18) is a long distance runner for Nauru. They have been separated since their parents’ marriage broke up four years ago. Frances remained in Nauru with his mother, while Faitoa left with her father to live in Samoa.

They spent tonight at the boxing (where they watched Cook Islander Vengi Hagai beat his New Caledonian opponent in the final bout of the evening).

Before Francis left Nauru, their mother gave him a special gift. She didn’t want to waste the opportunity of his being able to see his sister and she is missing her daughter so much that she bought Francis a camera so that he could take a whole pile of photos of his sister while she is here on Rarotonga. So the Pacific Mini Games has enabled a very happy reunion.

Both Francis and Faitoa have been able to share some valuable moments together before they are again parted for who knows how long before they will see each other again.

No doubt there will be lots of memories and photos to take home to their parents - in Samoa and in Nauru.