The Cook Islands Junior Tennis team had a standout performance at the 2024 Pacific Oceania Junior Championships held in Fiji this week, earning gold and silver medals.

Raetea Rongo and Tekura Tamangaro, the Under 16 golden girls, have done exceptionally well.

Rongo had an outstanding tournament and took out the Under 16s Girls Singles Division in a nail-biting match, against Pauline Hyun of Papua New Guinea, 7/5, 6/7(5-7), 11-9, winning gold.

She later teamed up with Tekura Tamangaro, taking out the U16 doubles title and gold medal, with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Mia Chang Yuk Shan of Tahiti and Latoya Fruen of American Samoa.

Tennis Cook Islands’ gold and silver medallists with their coach Malcolm Kajer (left) and Dermot Sweeny (right) from the International Tennis Federation. MARCELLE ROSSOUW/24071225

In the Boys Under 12s Division, which was played in a team format, Mareko Webb, Luca Rossouw and Evan Rennie-Moore earned silver medals.

In a “superb effort”, they fell short in a hard-fought battle 1-2 against Guam who claimed the top place.

The national team is led by head coach Malcolm Kajer, with support from parents Marcelle Rossouw and Amber Rennie.

Tennis Cook Islands’ silver medallists at the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Fiji. From left: Luca Rossouw, Evan Rennie-Moore and Mareko Webb. Tennis Cook Islands/24071226

Tennis Cook Islands would like to acknowledge Marcelle Rossouw and Amber Rennie for managing the team making sure the players are looked after and ready for competition each day, and supporting coach Kajer. 

Tennis also extends “a huge shout out” to national coach Kajer for his time, effort, energy and love poured into the children for the love of tennis.

The team arrive in Rarotonga at 2am tomorrow (Sunday morning).

The esteemed 33^rd Pacific Oceania Junior Championship for U12, U14, and U16 categories had teams from American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Papua New Guinea, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tahiti, and Vanuatu participating.

• TCI/Melina Etches