The Tonga Sports Association & National Olympic Committee (TASANOC) successfully delivered a three-day GAPS (Gather, Adjust, Prepare, Sustain) training program for emerging athletes and coaches this week.

Hosted at TASANOC’s local facilities, the program is part of a broader initiative by Commonwealth Sport aimed at empowering emerging athletes and coaches by providing essential skills, knowledge and resources. The focus is on advancing coaching education, removing barriers to participation and developing inclusive sport pathways specifically for women, girls and Para-athletes.

The event brought together about a dozen Tongan para athletes, many from the disability group Naunau ‘Alamaite o Tonga in partnership with the Tonga National Paralympic Committee, following the recent Oceania Cup athletics competition hosted by Tonga at Teufaiva Sports Stadium last week.

TASANOC credited the collaboration with Commonwealth Sport partners for the success of the training and emphasised how the skills learned will directly support Tonga’s preparation for upcoming international competitions.

The organisation said that hosting the training locally “underscores TASANOC’s commitment to growing high-performance and inclusive sport in Tonga.”

With many participants leaving the programme equipped to drive positive change in their communities, the training signals a strengthened focus on inclusive sport development in Tonga’s future.