Meet the Team: Meleane Vasitaia Falemaka

A Trailblazer for Tonga at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games

Meet Meleane Vasitaia Falemaka, closely known to friends and family as Vasi, who proudly represented Tonga at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games in the Women's F38 Discus event. As a first-time Paralympian and the only athlete from Tonga at this year's Paralympic Games, Vasi has become a role model to young girls and women living with a disability in Tonga. 

Reflecting on her experience, Vasi shared, "My experience at the Paralympics was so wonderful and so real that I couldn’t hold back my tears of happiness for my dream has come true to be in Paris for the first time and to be a Paralympian. I am proud to have earned the trust of my fellow people with disabilities and our committee to serve as the flag bearer for my country, the Kingdom of Tonga."

Apart from her para-athletic achievements, Vasi has been actively involved in the Smash Down Barriers program since 2022. This initiative, supported by the Australian Government through Team Up, uses table tennis to promote inclusion for people with a disability, particularly young girls and women. The program is delivered by the Tonga Table Tennis Federation in partnership with the International Table Tennis Federation Oceania (ITTF-Oceania).

Vasi attributes much of her growth as a para-athlete to her involvement in the Smash Down Barriers program. 

When asked how the program helped her, Vasi said, "Pretty much and a big yes, and even though they are totally different games, it gave me the courage to never look back but to keep on doing what I am doing and enjoy every step of the way." 

Salote Fungavai, CEO of the Tonga Table Tennis Federation, recalls meeting Vasi for the first time at the National Feminist Forum in November 2022. “At first, Vasi was hesitant to join the Smash Down Barriers program because she would experience frequent seizures, and that made her cautious about going out without a family member. However, after persuading her and when she attended her first coaching course in December 2022, everything changed. She showed a lot of interest and commitment to table tennis. Her progress in the sport and within herself was admirable.”

Fungavai added, “Since joining Smash Down Barriers, Vasi has transformed her life. She no longer needs a family member with her and started working out at the gym instead of just at home. She has become more social and expressive, and her seizures have become less frequent."

Fungavai also shared that Vasi’s first-ever international competition was at the ITTF-Para Oceania Championships in 2023, where she won a bronze medal in doubles, boosting her confidence for the Paralympics. 

"We are just so proud of her achievements and know that this is only the beginning," said Fungavai.