Rio Olympics

Men:

Samoa - Nevo Ioane (62kg category)

Australia – Simplice Ribouem (94kg category)

New Zealand - Richard Patterson (85kg category)

Fiji - Manueli Tulo (56kg category)

Kiribati - David Katoatau (105kg category)

Nauru - Elson Brechtefeld (56kg category)

American Samoa: Tanumafili Jungblut (94kg category)

PNG -Morea Baru (62kg) category

Women:

Samoa - Mary Opeloge (75kg category)

Australia - Tia-Clair Toomey (58kg category)

New Zealand - Tracey Lambrechs (+75kg category)

Smith was a talented junior swimmer and won a string of Australian Junior Championships, but in his late teens ice pushed his life off the rails and he was soon living on the street.

"It was difficult, but I guess the pain that I suffered, the pain that I dealt with has actually put me in a position now to give back to others," he said.

"That's what my life's all about now. I'm all about giving hope to the next generation and giving hope to other people who are addicted to drugs."

Morea Baru is not a new name in the PNG sports industry, however, this young Hanuabada lad is about to make a bigger name for himself and the country when he takes centre stage tomorrow (today) at the Oceania Championship in Fiji.

Baru has his eyes set on the 2016 Rio Olympics and there is no doubt of his capabilities.

Trukai Industries General Manager-Sales and Marketing, Andrew Daubney, said:

Ryan made this remarks after reports suggested he had been left out of the squad for this weekend’s London Sevens.

After quitting NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers this week, the former NRL star announced his intention to qualify for the Olympics with the rugby sevens’ gold-medal favourites.

Reports stated that the crosscode star has missed out on the 12-man squad named by coach Ben Ryan. However Ryan, the former England coach, insisted that a decision has yet to be made.

A number of big names have joined the World Series this season in the countdown to Rio, including All Blacks Sonny Bill Williams and Liam Messam, Springboks winger Bryan Habana and Australia's Quade Cooper.

Manu Samoa sevens coach Damian McGrath had hoped to call on some of Samoa's World Cup stars, such as Tim Nanai Williams, TJ Ioane and Paul Perez.

Even though Samoa's Olympic Committee is yet to finalise its team, Jeremy Dodson's times are so good that a place on the plane to Brazil would seem to be a formality.

He has run for the US in the past, but with Samoan heritage on his mother's side, Jeremy said he has never felt quite right representing America.

“I ran in a few US teams or a couple of US teams,” he said.

However, the 41-year-old former winger admits to one regret – that rugby returned to the Olympic Games too late for him to play.

With his electric pace and dazzling footwork Robinson would have been pure box-office gold at the rugby sevens event in Rio this August.

“You might meet players who have won Six Nations, British and Irish Lions tours and World Cups but the Olympics will be a first for players,” the HSBC Ambassador said.

“If only I was 20 years younger because I would love to have the chance to win an Olympic medal.”

The winner of both the men’s and women’s tournaments will book places at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August next year when sevens debuts on sport's greatest stage.  

With Fiji and New Zealand men and Australia and New Zealand women already qualified for Rio 2016, there is huge interest building to see who will join them. The draw comprises eight men's teams and five women's teams.

It is the first time New Zealand has staged the Oceania Sevens and the two-day event will take place this weekend, 14 & 15 November, at the Trusts Arena in Waitakere (Auckland). 

The Olympic scholarship recipient through the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) is based in the United Kingdom where he races in the British Milers Series.

CISNOC sports manager Siniva Marsters says Beddoes was one of their leading athletes for the Rio Olympics.

The Cook Islands is hoping to send a team of 11 athletes to the games.

The Olympics qualifying time for 800m is 1 minute 45.80s and Beddoes has until July next year to meet the criteria.

Fiji beat Vanuatu 4-3 in penalty shoot outs tonight at the Sir Hubert Murray stadium.

More To come..