Lawn bowler Olivia Buckingham and Boxer Travis Tapatuetoa named as Niue Flag bearers
Olivia Buckingham, Niue's flag bearer at the opening of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. PC - Olivia Buckingham Facebook
Over the weekend, Team Niue to the Commonwealth games announced its team at a small event in Auckland on Saturday night.
The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the two athletes who will be the flag bearers at the Commonwealth Games, one female, and one male flag bearer.
Gold medalist Lawn bowler and 2022 Australia Opens Doubles champion Olivia Buckingham from Auckland New Zealand was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony. Buckingham’s mother hails from the village of Avatele.
Boxer and Bronze medalists at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa, from Brisbane Australia whose parents hail from the village of Mutalau, Team Niue’s other flag bearer is Travis Tapatuetoa.
Over the weekend and on her personal Facebook, Olivia Buckingham announced the great news to her family and fans saying that it was an emotional moment for her to think of her grandparents who would be very proud of her. “It was very emotional for me because my grandparents who are in heaven would be so proud of me.”
She posted “Well friends, family, brother and sister bowlers from near and far. Last night was a very emotional night for me as team Niue announced the flag bearer for the opening ceremony for the Birmingham commonwealth games. So I became Team Niue’s flag bearer for the opening ceremony. So I will lead our team out on the world stage fingers crossed I don’t fall over.”
BCN News understands that the Team Manager Brad Etuata and Chef de mission Tony Edwards will depart Auckland on Thursday arriving first in Birmingham this week and will be there to wait for the Team Niue to arrive a day later.
