Kiribati at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Kiribati at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo

Sporting event delegation
Kiribati at the
2020 Summer Olympics
IOC codeKIR
NOCKiribati National Olympic Committee
Websitewww.oceaniasport.com/kiribati
in Tokyo
23 July 2021 (2021-07-23) – 8 August 2021 (2021-08-08)
Competitors3 (2 men and 1 woman) in 3 sports
Flag bearers (opening)Kinaua Biribo
Ruben Katoatau
Flag bearer (closing)Ruben Katoatau
Officials1
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

Kiribati competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, it was postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The country's participation in Tokyo marked its fifth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in 2004.

The Kiribati delegation consisted of three athletes: sprinter Lataisi Mwea, judoka Kinaua Biribo, and weightlifter Ruben Katoatau. Mwea qualified through a universality slot given by World Athletics, while Katoatau and Kinaua[a] were the highest ranked eligible Oceanian athletes in their categories. Kinaua and Katoatau were the flagbearers for the opening ceremony, while Katoatau solely held the flag at the closing ceremony. All three athletes did not medal, and as of these Games, Kiribati has yet to earn an Olympic medal.

Background

Nauruan athlete Jonah Harris infront of the IOC chartered airplane where the four delegations rode in

Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] This edition of the Games marked the nation's fifth appearance at the Summer Olympics ever since they debuted at the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens, Greece.[3]

Travel

A coordination with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) of Nauru, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu, and Nauru Airlines, used the airline to charter two flights with four national delegations, namely: Nauru, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu, with a technical stop in Chuuk State of the Federated States of Micronesia, for travel to Tokyo due to precautions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Delegations from Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu were brought to Nauru on 19 July 2021, while the following day saw all of the delegations' departure to the Haneda Airport in Tokyo.[4]

Two athletes, namely: Lataisi Mwea and Kinaua Biribo, and coach Leanne Hines were the only people in the Kiribati delegation to not take part in the IOC chartered flight. Kinaua was in Budapest, Hungary for training since March 2021 and flew to the nation on 19 July 2021,[5] while Mwea and Hines flew in from Australia to Tokyo on 26 June 2021.[‡ 1]

Delegation

Kiribati decided to send only athletes who have been abroad throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, amid fears its competitors might bring the virus back home. All of Kiribati's athletes at these Games were beneficiaries of Australian aid from the PacificAus Sports Program and the Australian Olympic Committee, and were with the Australian team in Tokyo.[5]

The Kiribati delegation composed of eight people, the biggest ever by the nation. The only official present at the Games was chef de mission and two-time Fijian Olympian Josateki Naulu.[6] Other officials were Kiribati National Olympic Committee president Nicholas McDermott and delegation secretary general Tenoa Betene, though they are not part of the official contingent.[7][‡ 1] Coaches present were athletics coach Leanne Hinese, judo coach Michael Liptrot, judo training partner Alexander Haecker, and weightlifting coach and three-time Olympian David Katoatau.[‡ 1][8] The athletes that competed were sprinter Lataisi Mwea, judoka Kinaua Biribo, and weightlifter Ruben Katoatau.[9]

Mwea was the last Kiribati athlete to compete at the Games. No Kiribati athlete has yet earned an Olympic medal.[6]

Opening and closing ceremonies

The Kiribati delegation marched 55th out of 206 countries in the 2020 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations within the opening ceremony, due to the host's use of the local kana alphabetical system.[b] Kinaua and Katoatau held the flag for the delegation in the ceremony.[10] At the closing ceremony, Katoatau was the designated flagbearer for the nation.[11]

Back in the nation, the Kiribati National Olympic Committee (KNOC) hosted an event in Tarawa to support the athletes at the opening ceremony of the Games. The KNOC invited local sport federations and fans to watch a livestream of the ceremony, and invited local celebrities, dancers, and comedians to perform for the event.[12]

Athletics

Mwea (second from left) running in his preliminary
Scoreboard of Mwea's preliminary with him in eighth place

Kiribati received universality slots from World Athletics to send two athletes (one male and one female) to the Olympics. Though the nation only sent one male athlete, sprinter Lataisi Mwea, who would compete in the men's 100 metres.[13] Mwea usually competes in the high jump, holding the national record in the high jump with 2.00 metres, though through a 12-month training program in Gold Coast, Australia, he trained for sprinting events in order to qualify for a universality slot for the nation.[14]

Mwea competed in his event on 31 July 2021,[15] running in the first preliminary heat in the second lane. He finished with a time of 11.25 seconds, ultimately finishing second to last in his preliminary heat. He did not advance.[16] The eventual gold medal winner was Marcell Jacobs of Italy, who set a new European record in the event.[17]

Key
  • Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • Q = Qualified for the next round
  • q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
  • NR = National record
  • N/A = Round not applicable for the event
  • Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
Track & road events
Athlete Event Preliminaries Heat Quarterfinal Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Lataisi Mwea Men's 100 m 11.25 8 Did not advance

Judo

The Nippon Budokan, where Kinaua competed in her event

Kiribati sent one female judoka to the Games based on the International Judo Federation Olympics Individual Ranking. The nation selected judoka Kinaua Biribo, who scored only 30 points in the qualification period yet qualified as the highest eligible Oceanian athlete,[18] which marked the nation's Olympic debut in this sport.[19] Kinaua was relatively new to the sport, picking it up in 2019 after being a wrestler.[20] She trained abroad in multiple locations, starting in Japan, being coached by Shigeru Kimura,[1] then Russia, then Budapest, Hungary, until the pandemic happened and she had to be coached online through Zoom calls with her coach,[5] Michael Liptrot.[20] The lead-up to the Games saw her participation at the 2021 World Judo Championships held in Budapest, Hungary.[5] She ranked 177 in the world in the lead-up to the Games.[9]

Kinaua competed in her event on 28 July 2021.[21] In her first match, she faced Aoife Coughlan of Australia in the round of 32. Kinaua was defeated in 52 seconds through an ippon, and did not advance. The eventual winner was Chizuru Arai of Japan.[22][23]

The nation has one of the worst cases of domestic and gender-based violence in the world, with 68% of women aged 15–49 who have been in a relationship saying that they have experienced some sort of violence from a partner, 90% who had experienced controlling behaviour from a partner, and 10% from someone who was not their partner.[24] Kinaua was abducted and sexually assaulted when she was six years old, and she stated that she wanted to use her participation at the Games and her sport to motivate women back in the nation to bring to light the issues of domestic and gender-based violence. She also used her participation to address rising sea levels back in her country, being inspired by weightlifter David Katoatau who made headlines by using his participation at the Olympics for the same issue.[1][25]

Athlete Event Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Repechage Final / BM
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Rank
Kinaua Biribo Women's –70 kg  Coughlan (AUS)
L 00–01 		Did not advance

Weightlifting

The Tokyo International Forum, where Katoatau competed in his event

Kiribati entered one male weightlifter into Olympic competition. Ruben Katoatau topped the list of weightlifters from Oceania in the men's 67 kg category based on the IWF Absolute Continental Rankings.[26] At first, Katoatau ranked behind weightlifter Vaipava Nevo Ioane of Samoa, but withdrew from the Games due to the Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee decision to only sending athletes based overseas due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.[27] Before the Games, he trained in Nauru with his coach and brother, David Katoatau, who also trained there for his participation in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics for the nation.[9][28]

Katoatau competed in his event on 25 July 2021 in the B Group.[29] He snatched 105 kilograms for his first attempt, then failed at his second and third attempts at 110 kilograms. He then clean and jerked 132 kilograms for his first attempt, then 140 kilograms for his second, then failed on his third and final attempt at 145 kilograms. He ended up with a 245 kilogram total, finishing 12th out of 12 finishers and 14 overall competitors.[30] The gold medal was earned by Chen Lijun of China, setting new Olympic records in the clean and jerk, lifting 187 kilograms, and in the total with 332 kilograms.[31]

Athlete Event Snatch Clean & Jerk Total Rank
Result Rank Result Rank
Ruben Katoatau Men's 67 kg 105 14 140 12 245 12

Notes

  1. ^ Kinaua Biribo is referred to by first name per cultural aspects.[1]
  2. ^ Japanese: キリバス, romanized: Kiribasu

References

  1. ^ a b c Pender, Kieran. "'She can do it': Kiribati Olympic judo hopeful wants to combat domestic violence". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Joint Statement from the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee". International Olympic Committee. 24 March 2020. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Kiribati Overview". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Joint IOC and Nauru effort ensures four Pacific islands NOCs' passage to Tokyo". Oceania National Olympic Committees. 22 July 2021. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Srinivasan, Prianka; Fennell, Jordan (19 July 2021). "Fears of a widening Olympic wealth gap as Pacific countries struggle to prepare athletes for Tokyo". ABC News. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Josateki Naulu". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Team Kiribati - Profile". TOCOG. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  8. ^ Tao, David (21 July 2023). "Here's the Story Behind Kiribati's Dancing Weightlifter, David Katoatau". BarBend. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Houston, Michael (5 July 2021). "Kiribati NOC sending three athletes to compete at Tokyo 2020 Olympics". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony Flag Bearers Marching Order" (PDF). NPR. 23 July 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  11. ^ "List of flagbearers for the 205 NOCs and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team" (PDF). International Olympic Committee. 8 August 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 March 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Kiribati gathers to support athletes at Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony". Oceania National Olympic Committees. 24 July 2021. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Lockdown to Tokyo: Lataisi Mwea of Kiribati". Oceania Athletics Association. 30 July 2021. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Lataisi Mwea - Kiribati - My Tokyo Olympic Journey". PacificAus Sports. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Athletics Competition Schedule". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021.
  16. ^ "100 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Tokyo Olympics: Lamont Marcell Jacobs claims shock 100m gold". BBC Sport. 1 August 2021. Archived from the original on 28 January 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  18. ^ "IJF Olympic Qualification List" (PDF). International Judo Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  19. ^ "Kiribati in Judo". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  20. ^ a b Komai, Makereta (28 July 2021). "Kiribati lone female judoka, Biribo, wants to inspire young people with her Olympic performance". Oceania National Olympic Committees. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021.
  21. ^ "2020 Summer Olympics — Judo - Women 70 kg Schedule". TOCOG. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  22. ^ "Middleweight (≤70 kilograms), Women". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Draw Sheet" (PDF). TOCOG. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  24. ^ "Measuring and responding to violence against women in Kiribati" (PDF). World Health Organization. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  25. ^ Samuelson, Kate (16 August 2016). "This Olympic Weightlifter Danced Off Stage to Raise Awareness of Climate Change". Time. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  26. ^ "IWF Absolute Ranking List" (PDF). International Weightlifting Federation. 25 June 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  27. ^ Pavitt, Michael (1 July 2021). "Samoa to send only overseas athletes to Tokyo 2020 due to COVID-19". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  28. ^ Pender, Kieran (20 December 2016). "Dancing for a cause: Kiribati's climate activist Olympic weightlifter". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  29. ^ "Kiribati weightlifter placed fourth in Tokyo 2020 competition". Oceania National Olympic Committees. 26 July 2021. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  30. ^ "Weightlifting | Men's 67kg | Results" (PDF). TOCOG. 25 July 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  31. ^ Oliver, Brian (25 July 2021). "China deny Colombia in sensational weightlifting session - and Italy claim bronze". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2024.

Primary sources

In the text these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):

  1. ^ a b c "It is with great pleasure in presenting to you, your very own Team Kiribati 🇰🇮 for the Tokyo2020 Olympic Games". Kiribati National Olympic Committee. 23 June 2021. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024 – via Facebook.


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