Commonwealth Games

Samoa won the region's only gold, through weightlifter Don Opolege and the nation's lifters also won three silver medals, and there was also Samoan silver in heavyweight boxing.

Fiji won four medals, two of them in the rugby sevens, but there was some disappointment that neither team could win their respective finals.

Weightlifting brought the only medals for Papua New Guinea and Nauru, Vanuatu gained a bronze from beach volleyball, and one of the stories of the games was when Niue gained its first-ever medal with a boxing bronze.

The closing ceremony took place at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium this morning with performances from artists including UB40, Apache Indian, Beverley Knight, Dexys Midnight Runners, Goldie, Jacob Banks, Jaykae and Jorja Smith.

The ceremony also included a tradtional handover of the Commonwealth Games flag to Australia which will is set to host the next Games in 2026.

After a record-breaking Games of both individual and team success, New Zealand cyclist Aaron Gate took on the roleas the country's flagbearer.

Samoa won the region's only gold, through weightlifter Don Opolenge and the nation's lifters also won three silver medals. They also gained a silver in boxing.

Fiji won four medals overall, two of them in the rugby sevens, but there will be some disappointment that neither team could win their respective finals.

Weightlifting brought the only medals for Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

Vanuatu gained a bronze from beach volleyball, and Niue gained its first-ever Games medal since being able to compete since 2002, with a boxing bronze.

Full list of Pacific medals:

Leading the region and the overall medal tally is Australia with 31 gold, 20 silver and 20 bronze medals.

New Zealand is in third place with 13 gold, 7 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Fiji is currently in 17th place with 2 silver medals.

Both in 20th place with 1 silver medal each are Papua New Guinea and Samoa.

72 countries are now heading into the sixth day of competitions.

Fiji’s wait for a gold medal in 7s continues.

Blitzbok raced to an early lead and pressured the national side to making many unforced errors.

Muller Du Plessis ran in two tries to help his side.

The other tries were scored by JC Pretorious and Shaun Williams as they led 17-0 at half time.

Skipper Waisea Nacuqu scored the lone try for Fiji in the second spell but it wasn’t enough as South Africa proved too strong in defense.

Fiji settles for silver and New Zealand secures a bronze medal win.

Across the ten games, the South Pacific kingdom has amassed three medals- all for boxing.

The team will now start its campaign in sevens rugby, when the national men’s team meets Scotland in a Pool B match.

This weekend will see the national men’s sevens team fight for a chance to win a Commonwealth Games medal from Pool B, where they also have South Africa, Scotland and Malaysia to compete with.

Tonga is also be represented in Athletics, Boxing, Swimming, Weightlifting and Wrestling, with a total of 22 male and 6 female athletes at the Games.

Toua will be in action at the Games in the women's 53kg category at the NEC Arena in Birmingham, England.

Weightlifting will begin its competition on Saturday local time.

"My aim is to do my best and hopefully win a medal, that is the number one priority going into this competition," Toua, who win silver in 2018, told the Post Courier.

"Whether I win a silver or a gold medal, it doesn't matter, the biggest thing is winning and making my family and the nation proud of my achievement."

An understandable role model for an avid Manchester United fan, but the choice was partly out of necessity.

Housby did not see many sportswomen on screen or in the newspapers when she was a child.

But things have changed since then.

Four years ago, Housby became an icon for young netballers everywhere with a last-second goal to take a historic Commonwealth netball gold for England.

Later this month, England will bid to defend that title on home soil at the first Commonwealth Games with more medal events for women than men.

On a cool winter evening in Auckland, and members of the Tongan wrestling team were training with New Zealand squad members at a gym in Te Atatu.

Among those training is Australian-born Tongan Sione Sika who has made a lot of sacrifices to be ready for the games. 

“I quit my job in Australia just to come here and train under (Coach) Andy and the rest of the team,” Sione says.

“Nothing good is ever easy so a bit of trials here and there just makes us stronger, I guess. I’ve been away from my wife and kids… it’s pretty hard, pretty nervous.” 

Hundreds of Armed Forces personnel will be deployed to Birmingham to support the West Midlands Police Security Operation, the biggest the region has seen.

An opening ceremony on Thursday 28 July will mark the start of the Commonwealth Games, featuring many of the Armed Forces personnel who are in Birmingham for ceremonial duties, civil engagement or competing as athletes.

The Band of HM Royal Marines will provide a fanfare of trumpeters during the ceremony.