Amini Fonua

Amini Fonua
Personal information
Full name Amini Tuitavake Britteon Fonua
National team  Tonga
Born (1989-12-14) December 14, 1989
Auckland, New Zealand
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 79 kg (174 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Breaststroke, Butterfly
College team Texas A&M University (U.S.)
Coach Sandra Burrow (1999–2007, 2015), Donna Bouzaid (2007–2008), Jay Holmes (2008–2012), Jon Winter (2012)
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing  Tonga
Pacific Games
2015 Port Moresby 50 m breaststroke
2015 Port Moresby 100 m breaststroke
2015 Port Moresby 200 m breaststroke
2011 Noumeá 50 m breaststroke
2011 Noumeá 200 m breaststroke
2011 Noumeá 100 m breaststroke
Oceania Swimming Championships
2010 Apia 50 m breaststroke
2012 Nouméa 50 m breaststroke
2010 Apia 100 m breaststroke
2010 Apia 50 m butterfly
2012 Nouméa 50 m butterfly

Amini Tuitavake Britteon Fonua (born 14 December 1989) is a Tongan competitive swimmer.[1]

Fonua was born and raised in Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand to Tongan lawyer Sione Fonua and British-born mother Julie.[2] He holds dual Tongan and New Zealand citizenship. His family includes two other sisters.

Fonua's swimming career began at the Roskill Swimming Club based at Cameron Pool in Auckland, coached by Sandra Burrow from 1999–2007. He broke numerous Auckland and New Zealand Age Group Records under Burrow's tenure.[3] He then moved to West Auckland Aquatics in 2007, and was coached by Donna Bouzaid. In the Fall of 2008, Fonua enrolled at Texas A&M on a swimming scholarship. While at Texas A&M he was a peer voted Team Captain, Big XII Conference Champion, NCAA All-American, and recipient of The Aggie Heart Award. He graduated with a Telecommunication and Multi-Media degree, with a Minor in Creative Writing in May 2013.[4]

He was "the first Tongan swimmer to win a gold medal in international competition", when he took gold in the 50 metre breaststroke at the 2010 Oceania Swimming Championships.[5]

In preparation for the 2012 London Olympics Fonua was trained by New Zealander and designated head coach for Tonga, Jon Winter. He served as his nation's flag-bearer in the 2012 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations.[6] As a swimmer at the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed in the Men's 100 metre breaststroke, failing to reach the semifinals.

Fonua made an international comeback at the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. He created history by becoming the first ever Tongan athlete to ever win 3 Gold medals at a Pacific Games by sweeping the Breaststroke events, setting 2 Games Records in the process (50 m and 100 m Breaststroke). He is the only Tongan athlete in history to ever hold dual Oceania and Pacific Games titles.[7]

Fonua is openly gay and an advocate for LGBT rights.[5] [8] [9]

References

  1. ↑ "Amini Fonua". London 2012. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Limited. Archived from the original on 2012-08-26. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  2. ↑ Kathryn Powley (22 July 2012). "Olympics: Kiwis fly other flags at Games". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  3. ↑ Staff (22 July 2012). "Tonga first swimmer at London Olympics". Tonganz.net. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  4. ↑ Paloma Migone (28 July 2012). "NZ-born Tongan looks to make Olympic mark". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Be true to yourself, says gay Tongan swimmer", Radio Australia, 17 May 2013
  6. ↑ Publisher (25 July 2012). "Three athletes to represent Tonga at London Olympics". Matangi Tonga Online. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  7. ↑ Publisher (10 July 2015). "PNG Hero Steps Closer The Pini-Cle Of Pacific Swimming". EMTV Online. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  8. ↑ https://twitter.com/AminiFonua/status/763914186543902721
  9. ↑ https://twitter.com/AminiFonua/status/763842949633437697
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