Arne Falekaono Jensen made history when he became the first and youngest athlete from Tonga to compete in archery at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.
His journey was fraught with challenges, including recovering from a severe car accident. “I had three months to shoot the minimum qualifying score and I got my score on the literal last qualifying day,” Jensen recalled. “There was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears.”
Jensen and his teammate, Lusi Tatafu, became the first Tongan archers to shoot the MQS, making their Olympic debut a memorable milestone. Jensen, who wore a traditional Tongan tupenu while competing, proudly stated, “Taking my tupenu into those Olympics and shooting in it was something that I’m actually really, really proud of.”
Now, as the president of World Archery Oceania, Jensen is focused on rebuilding the sport in the Pacific. Despite missing the MQS for the Paris Games, he is determined to have Tonga represented in future Olympics. “We want to keep our position strong and build up towards the 2032 Olympics where we’re hoping to have a serious impact,” he said.
His advice to Pacific athletes heading to the Olympics: “Enjoy every second you have up there.”
