Young tennis talent Simeon Ri’iagalo has secured a bronze medal for the Solomon Islands at the 2025 VAS Regional Championship held in Port Vila, Vanuatu, last week.
The 12-year-old was part of the 15-player national youth team that represented the country at the week-long event and finishing as the Solomon Islands’ sole medalist after claiming bronze in the boys U12 singles.
Speaking to Star Sports, head coach Junior Benjamin, said the team’s overall performance was encouraging despite the tough competition.
“The performances have been really good, with most of the losses very close and could’ve gone our way,” Benjamin said.
With the Solomon Islands set to host the 2026 West Pacific Regional Championships early next year, Benjamin said preparations will intensify immediately.
“It’s back to the drawing board and no holidays for players. Since we are hosting the West Pacific qualifying event in January, our players and coaches will sacrifice their break to work hard, improve on what we need to improve, and be ready to defend our home soil,” he stressed.
The coach added the tournament was especially valuable for the majority of players who were making their international debuts.
“This tournament was the perfect build-up for our players, especially the new ones. It’s good they get a taste of competition before the big one in January,” he added.
The six-day championship brought together young tennis talents from 13 countries across the region, uniting in Port Vila for a week of competitive tennis and development.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
