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Seems yo me that he is a New Zealander who has chosen to represent Tonga because he can't get in the NZ swimming team. Fair enough but don't dress it up to be something it isn't

Tom

Why are you not covering this story? Afriad of insulting one of your own?

Paul Henry is a fool and should indeed lose his job. Quite what this has to do with Tom though I have no idea.

I agree with the first comment... not good enough for new zealand chose to represent tonga. Should have spent time doing a worthwhile story.

I'd love to know what exactly "was forced to learn to swim in New Zealand." means? Was he dragged kicking and screaming into swimming pools or is this merely the result of the inconveninece of where he was born and grew up?

You're being a little unfair on Amini Fonua. Being seeded 7th in the Commonwealth at 50m Breaststroke means he would have got in the NZ side if he wanted to, but its the same reason that Mark Cavendish chooses to ride for IoM at the CWG - he is proud to be able to represent his culture and a country that doesn't get much success. Tonga's sporting success can be summed up by 1 boxer and the Rugby team, much like IoM's success is in Cycling, both Motor and Pedal.

Good Luck Amini Fonua - hope you get to the 50m Breaststroke final and maybe even sneak a podium - the differences are small enough to cause an upset!

Tom

How about this story?



Why are you shying away from posting negative news about the CWG when it comes to your people?

Willo

Fair enough. It was the tone of Tom's article the annoyed me. Amini is of course free to choose but as with a lot of similar articles it fails to acknowledge the impact of his home country on his development and suggests that he has sprung from a Tongan lagoon rather than a council swimming pool in South Auckland. Apartb from a rather ambiguous reference to NZ early on you would hardly know that he is in truth an Aucklander of part Tongan descent.

"he's proud to represent his country"


His country is New Zealand. He has never lived in Tonga from what I can guage. His roots are part Tongan and he is rightly proud of this and he has chosen to represent them at the games. Great.

being amini's auntie and him having lots of family in the uk, we are all extremely proud of him swimming in the games no matter who it's for,thanks tom for taking the time to interview amini.

Sorry last comment as I wish to moderate what I have just written. The links between New Zealand and the Pacific Islands are very close. Many Samoans and Tongans see themselves as both Samoan and Kiwi or Tongan and Kiwi. But the country that many have been born and chose to live is NZ; thus they are New Zealander. For the 100,000s of people who originate from the Pacific who live in New Zealand it is extremely important in my view to remove ambiguities. We have had this idiot, which Sabu refers to, suggesting that the next Governor General of NZ should be a "real NZer". This was highly offensive particularly given the current holder of the post and has rightly cuased outrage in NZ. For a country which has such high levels of immigration as NZ (23% of population were not born in NZ) it is extremely important to recognise that all who are born there or chose to live there are New Zealanders. It leads to a cohesive society. Rant over.

what is so wrong with monkey-tennis anyway ?

So many people with chips on their shoulders! Is it that hard to enjoy a story without getting defencive?

A good story about how the smaller nations struggle without the back-up which the bigger nations receive.

Even though most competitors from the smaller nations appear to represent their country, this is someone who has a chance of reaching the final...

Best small nation story from the CWG for me was the Kenyans borrowing bikes in Manchester for their race!

Great Blog Tom - this is exactly what I needed to read today, someone who has gone above and beyond to make it to the games! What an inspiration he will be to his fellow Tongans, and anyone with a dream!

Quote: "When he did finally arrive in India, less than 12 hours before his first heat in the 50m backstroke, he found he had missed the chance to join the other 21 Tongans in the national squad at the opening ceremony. Worse than that, his bags had failed to arrive with him."

"That meant I couldn't shave down, and that I made my Commonwealth debut wearing pyjama pants", he says ruefully.

"I also didn't have a swim hat, so I was forced to borrow one from a Jamaican friend of mine and then turn it inside out to disguise the flag.

I'd probably had four hours sleep that Sunday night. It wasn't good, but you have to stay positive. It was still something to be here."

Brilliant!

"His country is New Zealand. He has never lived in Tonga from what I can guage. His roots are part Tongan and he is rightly proud of this and he has chosen to represent them at the games. Great."

Would you say similarly of English children who support Pakistan in the cricket but have never lived there? Or how about Amir Khan's brother (I'm sorry, I forget his name) who chose to represent Pakistan at this championship based on his Grandmother's nationality? Do you have problems with that too?

The world is full of negative, cynical, miserable people who want to bring everyone else down with them, and sadly most of them seem to post on 成人论坛 articles.

Tom,

I respect your oppinion as you have written the blog and it is written well and will bring a smile to some people. Not myself though I just think this guy was not good enough to compete for new zealand. I am Scottish and it is like the english born players who get called up for scotland they are going to play for us because they are not good enough to play for England at football.
Good luck to him but its not anywhere near as good a story as say eddie the eel.

"Good luck to him but its not anywhere near as good a story as say eddie the eel. "

Eric the Eel. And I agree, that was a great story from 2002(?) :)

lol mistake!!!

"Would you say similarly of English children who support Pakistan in the cricket but have never lived there?"

England has not been particualrly successful an integrating certain sections of its population but that is another issue. Cleary these people are English of Pakistani descent. How can they be anything other? Who they choose to support or represent is up to them but they are born and raised in England. I think that makes them English.

Tom

What will it take for you to be a real man? one with some spine? It will be nice to see you actually report on other races with the venom you have been reporting so far.

Clearly the brtisih, aussies and kiwis own you and you would do nothing to upset them.

Come one, trying to help. is this about making you get your award? i know indian don't vote for that.

point is aussies and kiwis are are your cousins!! why aren't you reporting on the negativity of them at the games.

was that so hard?

i know you are careful about your award and want to please your masters.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

You stopped people from replying to Tom's previous blogs, why is that? why does he get a free reign to report whatever he likes? and peoples responses are blocked

is my license fee paying for his hotel and flight? what is it costing?

why is there no coverage in the bbc about the roles anglo saxon countries played in selection of contractors to the games?

why is there no negative coverage about the behaviour of anglo saxons at the games? the two links i provided show clear bigotry and lack of sportsmanship. indian slums are news worthy but negativity to aussies and kiwis aren't. or that english coach who complained about the heat and blamed the organisers for that. why is that not being given the same air time as every thing that tom and his kin want to show?

Seriously, mannn im a Tongan decent and i dont give a damn which country anyone choose to represent. At the end of the day Amini choose to represent Tonga period. He have a English mom and a Tongan Father raise up in NZ. Whether he represent Tonga, NZ or Britain i dont care. This is a good story for people who have a dream and stick to it. Go Amini and thank you for representing the Kingdom.

FallingTP and Gary,

I went to school with Amini.
He is a proud Tongan, and a proud New Zealander, the fact that he is representing Tonga is personal choice and good on him.
Do you have nothing better to do than pick apart someone elses professional abilities because you feel insignificant.

Good on you Min... youre doing everyone proud :)

From what I've read, Amini is half English, half Tongan descent - born and raised in NZ. He's not "part Tongan" --half's more than "part" :)
Maths aside, how do you figure that "the country that many have been born and chose to live is NZ; thus they are New Zealander" ?? That's up to the individual. I am of full Tongan descent, living in NZ but do not consider myself a "New Zealander", nothing personal to NZers & their gorgeous country, but I am most definitely Tongan, living in NZ. My children are half Euro, half Tongan, living in NZ. As they get older, they may consider themselves Kiwi or NZers, and that's entirely up to them -- I don't mind whether they choose to play for the 'Ikale Tahi, England, Wales or the All Blacks! (Although, when it comes to rugby - ALL BLACKS ALL THE WAY!!)

"the fact that he is representing Tonga is personal choice and good on him."

I haven't disputed this. If you bothered to read what I have written you would note that I was questioning suggestions that his country is Tonga. His country is New Zealand. He has lived there all his life. He is justifiably proud of his Tongan descent and I assume he associates strongly with his blood lines but this doesn't remove the fact he is a born and bred New Zealander. Oh and your cheap shot about his professional abilites - which I suspect owe more to a US college rather than to Tonga - doesn't come in to it.

In the UK sports teams have a host of children of immigrants. They are all I assume proud of their roots (Paul Sackey's parents were from Ghana and no doubt he has close links to that country but he is born and bred in England and by my assessment is English). I am a kiwi but my kids are born and bred in Britain; they are English and Scottish; they are not New Zealanders although they go to NZ often and relate closely to the country.

Sport's journalism thrives on deliberately mis-interpreting reality, on using misinformation for its own ends, on crafting stories of the underdog rising above adversity and to me this is just another classic example. We have a detailed story of the difficulties which Tonga has as a poor nation stuck in the middle of the Pacific (much the result of having a corrupt governmental system and arcane systems of land ownership). The story is based around a Tongan swimmer who has barely spent any time in the Kingdom. Yet it is suggested that he has risen above the difficulties faced by that land to now represent it at the CGs. Its fiction or at least stretching the truth.

" the country that many have been born and chose to live is NZ; thus they are New Zealander" ??"

Subfan what do you think of Paul Henry's comments about the Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand when he suggested he was not a "real New Zealander"?

fallingTP I agree with you that the tone of the story is stretching it... but on the other hand, some people might argue that "the difficulties faced" in Tonga are minute compared to the struggles & difficulties faced in South Auck :)

Funny how you think the land ownership system in Tonga as arcane? Have you lived there? Are you Tongan? I think it's quite simple...for Tongans perhaps?

Paul Henry's comments - typical of Paul Henry? Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand didn't seem as offended as everyone else seems to be about it.
I suppose my view is, if you're going to persecute Paul Henry, why not do the same to people like Hone Harawira? That guy says equally offensive things, as often as Henry but he's still there. I thought it ironic when Willie Jackson & John Tamihere were on Campbell Live the other night, standing up for Harawira, saying that it's different for him 'cos he was voted in by his people etc etc where as Henry is employed by a state-funded broadcaster and was therefore being paid for by tax payer money etc etc ?! Last time I checked politicians were living off tax payer money too..... One thing that stands out for me is how so many pakeha seem outraged by his comments (directed at a different race) - which is awesome - but why not stand up for yourselves & get all outraged when such comments are directed at your own "people"? eg Harawira's comments that he would not be happy if any of his children brought home a pakeha partner.

Why do you ask, what are your thoughts on it?

Just read your thoughts up there ^^^

To be honest, I don't think his comments about being a real NZer are nearly as bad as his mockery of Delhi Chief Minister's name.

"the difficulties faced" in Tonga are minute compared to the struggles & difficulties faced in South Auck :)"

Yes good response my friend. I didn't mean to be offensive towards Tonga but I followed closely the debate over land reform which I saw a crucial for change there and vested interests virtually saw to it that there was no change.

Question re Henry was little loaded. His comment - as was the one with regard to Mr Dik---- (only cos it will probably be blocked) seemed highly offensive to me but like the affiable and highly astute character he is Anand Satyanand didn't say too much. I agree with you in terms of how your kids see themselves is up to them (although doesn't change the fact they are kiwis) but I also think that if NZ is going to integrate its very diverse population then its important that they share a vision for a better NZ and if they are not seeing themslves as part of that society it makes for a rather fractured society (as we see in parts of the UK where some people may not see themslves as being English (although being born and bred here). I'm no great nationalist but I do want to see societies function well and I think this is vital. And I think in NZ this is generally the case. You know guys like Jonah and Michael jones are yes proud of their roots but you are never in any doubt that they are kiwis (kiwi Tongans and Kiwi Samoans yes but kiwis also) and want the best for the communities they live in. Michael Jones I know is passionate about this. I have cousins who are are Kiwi Samoans (via my mum's sister) and they very much see themselves this way which is cool. I went to a powhiri few weeks back which I spoke of my pride in terms of my Danish, English, Irish and Scottish roots but also foremost of what shaped me and that was NZ and its people and I think that is what pulls a people togther.

Hone Harawira is little other than a showman in my view. He loves to bring the spotlight firmly on himself. He has an ego big enough for the whole country. But as you know such guys have to some extent be handled with kid gloves.

Po'uli a

just because he is representing tonga doesn't mean he couldn't make it into the NZ squad.
im an australian born tongan, i chose to represent the tongan u20's rugby union team instead of playing for the wallabies u20's. I was originally meant to play as left wing for the wallabies but i chose to play for tonga instead.
even though we lost to the wallabies (23-22) in the semi finals im am still proud to say that i represented tonga and i am sure amini is also proud that he is representing tonga too.
goodluck amini, ofa atu tokoua.

"I am sure amini is also proud that he is representing tonga too."

I'm sure he is too as you were to represent Tonga in the U20s (seems like you must be pretty good whichever way you went). Jay I don't think this is in dispute. Tell me how big is the Tongan community in Oz (Sydney?)

FallingTP, GAry

Not all people think like you! im a full Tongan Descent and born in NZ! proud to say that Amini Fonua is my First cousin in his Tongan side! and to have him represent our beloved country is a great honour! but to hear you question his rights of representing Tonga! pisses me off! he has the right to choose whatever country he wants represent! let me tell you a little fact about this boy! he grew up with his tongan family in Auckland NZ! He's been to Tonga more times then he's ever been to his mother's country England! so what if he's not representing the country he was born and raised in! it's totally up to him! as everyone else we are free to decide and choose what country to represent! That's pretty selfish of you to suggest that he should swim for nz because he was born and raised in nz.! there are many talented unique competitors who are representing New Zealand, but to have one person represent this little island TONGA, known as a dot in the map means alot to our PEOPLE and family!

Amini we are so proud of you! and we will always support you Cuz! Held your head up high and seek the heights ! we watched the 50breast final! dangg boy you did so well! gosshhh everyone here are so proud of you! GO TONGA!!!! CHEHOOOOOOOOOOO loads of love from your cuzzies in New Zealand!

OFA ATU

DAizy!

DAizy

"That's pretty selfish of you to suggest that he should swim for nz because he was born and raised in nz"

I don't recall having said this and a fully respect his right to choose. Good on him either way. And as you know Tongan people in NZ will throw their weight in behind Tongan rugbt etc. That's great and long may they link back to their roots. It is something to be proud of. I am not questions this.

Michael Jones has spoken a lot these issues (needless to say I鈥檓 a great fan) and he sums up what I鈥檓 trying to say far better than I can. I have extracted few bits from a speech he made few years back He says:

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have a typical kiwi upbringing, except maybe in a Polynesian sense. There was a huge amount of love, we were close knit 鈥� I had a very strong Christian upbringing, the foundation, the values and principles were installed in use at an early age. This held me in good stead, to honour people, respect other people, and practice compassion - my mother always lived that out鈥︹�︹��.

As a Pacific Island male, I think there is a void of leadership. I鈥檓 very passionate about leadership and my generation needs to pick up the baton. A lot of the true champions for the advancement of Pacifica are women. I鈥檓 very mindful of that as a Pacifica man, and as a role model. I take leadership very seriously and want to mobilize more men to be positive influences, to be change agents in their families and communities, in terms of our contribution to our nation. As Polynesians we will be at least one third of the population [New Zealand] in 50 years time, and the youth component of that will be nearly 50%. We need to raise a generation of leaders who will be the decision makers for the needs of the broader NZ multicultural family but also be able to lead on behalf of their own community, and in every aspect of society 鈥� as a consumer, and in education鈥︹�︹��

We need to have a society that is inclusive, whilst celebrating our diversity鈥︹��.

I鈥檓 really privileged, I鈥檓 proud to be a kiwi, of being born and shaped by this nation. The best thing about going overseas is coming back. We have some great things going for us, and because we are a small nation, we can go against the grain, and turn around those statistics and those greater forces that are influencing the very essence of our lifestyle. This is a great nation!鈥�

Hmmm this is the power of the media -a single report gets thousands of people across the globe thinking - but mind you what we see and hear is not always the truth -consider this as if you are eating a bunch of grapes -you throw out the rotten and sour ones and eat only the juicy ones .please dont get provoked by any comment from any tom dick or harries of the media world. tc

"Oh and your cheap shot about his professional abilites - which I suspect owe more to a US college rather than to Tonga - doesn't come in to it"

Amini's professional abilities have been around since he was very young - hence before he went to a 'US College'. If you go to the NZ Herald Website and search his name you can find that out for yourselves .