Taf’aga Outrigger Canoe Club has rolled out a refreshed and distinctly multi‑talented squad as it steps up final preparations for the Wai Tui Games in April 2026, naming a mix of experienced medallists, university students and a deep crop of younger paddlers who are balancing sport with study and community commitments.
Among the newest senior additions are three athletes who bring international experience and recent medals from the Palau Mini Games. Abraham Fong, a newly qualified dentist, and Martha Samuela—active in HEP youth work—both stood on the podium for Fiji in Palau. Mark Acraman, who studies at the University of the South Pacific and is heavily involved in church activities, is another Palau medallist adding competitive depth to the crew.
The club’s roster also features a clutch of young adults combining tertiary study with strong sporting backgrounds. Caroline Acraman, undertaking Environmental Management at USP, arrives with years of competitive netball under her belt. Semisi Tupou, an engineering student at Fiji National University (FNU), is a former basketballer who brings athletic versatility and community focus. Julian Acraman, also at USP, comes with a swimming background and a love of fishing and guitar, while Emanuel Tupou, a medical student at FNU and ex‑basketballer, contributes creativity through sketching as well as athleticism.
Taf’aga is emphasising that its strength lies not only in established performers but in an emerging cohort of younger paddlers who represent the club’s future. Ethel Acraman and Donella Kivi are balancing senior studies with leadership roles in church youth groups. Marist students Veikoso Tupou and Abdur Rehan are juggling schoolwork and sport commitments, while Myriam Acraman—now at Grammar—entered secondary school off top FEYE marks from primary. Quinton Fatiaki has been singled out for excelling across sport, academics and the arts.
One of the more immediate performances to note is that of Anna Morris, a former Stella Maris Dux who also plays volleyball and paints; she is already ranked in the top three for Open Women’s paddling within Taf’aga, a sign the club’s women’s line‑up will be competitive at Wai Tui. Taf’aga’s youngest paddlers—Loula, Isabella, Fatima, Tevita, Helava, Rodger, Stavros, Shiloh, Kalani and Erynn—remain active in swimming, netball, play and creative pursuits, forming the grassroots pipeline the club hopes will sustain future teams.
Club organisers say the selection reflects a deliberate blend of experienced medallists, tertiary‑level athletes and school‑age talent who share commitments to study, faith and community service as much as to paddling. With the Wai Tui Games less than two months away, Taf’aga’s preparations increasingly focus on teamwork, fitness and community representation rather than last‑minute recruitment.
As the club consolidates line‑ups and intensifies training ahead of April, Taf’aga is positioning itself to showcase not only competitive results but a broader community story: paddlers who are students, professionals, volunteers and artists, united by a canoe club that doubles as a development pathway for youth and a point of pride for their community.
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