Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — American Samoa's top junior tennis players have ended 2024 on a high note, bringing home a trove of medals from the Vanuatu Regional Championships.

Golden boy Hermann Thomsen dominated the 12U Boys category, winning gold in both Singles and Doubles competitions. Meanwhile, Aifili Tamasoaalii secured a bronze medal in the Singles competition of the 14U Boys category and a gold medal in the Doubles competition.

The sole female player representing American Samoa in Vanuatu, Joella Ioane, earned a bronze medal in the 12U Girls Singles competition and clinched gold in the Doubles competition.

American Samoa's Joella Ioane on the podium after securing the bronze medal in the 12U Girls Singles competition of the Vanuatu Regional Championships. [courtesy photo]

President of the American Samoa Tennis Association (ASTA) Florence Wasko in a press release, commended the athletes and their coach for their exceptional achievements.

“We congratulate Hermann, Joella, and Aifili for their incredible performance and for making American Samoa proud on an international platform," she acknowledged. "We extend special thanks to Coach Francine for accompanying them to New Zealand and Vanuatu over the past several weeks and for her invaluable guidance and support. The entire ASTA board, including CoachDave and the Booster Club, is proud of their accomplishments and excited for the future of tennis in American Samoa.”

The ASTA President stated that these achievements highlight the growing potential and talent within American Samoa’s junior tennis community.

"We remain committed to nurturing young athletes and providing them with opportunities to compete on regional and international stages," she stated.

In a second press release from ASTA, it was revealed that due to her outstanding performance, "Joella Ioane has been invited by the Grand Slam Player Development Program (GSPDP), the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and the Oceania Tennis Federation (OTF) to join the GSPDP/ITF/OTF team for a series of prestigious tournaments and events in Albury, Australia, from January 1st to January 16th, 2025.

"Joella’s invitation is a testament to her dedication and exceptional performance, further solidifying her place as one of American Samoa’s rising tennis stars. During this two-week program, Joella will have the opportunity to compete in:

● The Margaret Court Team Event (optional)

● The Albury Tournament

● The Wodonga Tournament

● The Australian Open

● The Tennis Australia (TA) Girls Camp"

ASTA President Florence Wasko expressed her excitement for Joella, stating, “This is an incredible opportunity for Joella to showcase her skills and gain invaluable experience on the international stage. We are particularly excited as this follows in the footsteps of her older sister, Joelei Ioane, who participated in the same program earlier this year. Joella’s hard work and commitment continue to inspire us all, and we are confident she will represent American Samoa well.”

In an exclusive interview with Joella's proud father Joe Leuila Ioane, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to God for His protection of Joella, her teammates, and coach who narrowly escaped the devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck near Vanuatu's capital Honiara.

The powerful earthquake struck on the day the American Samoa contingent departed triggering landslides, crushing cars, and flattening multiple buildings, including a complex that is home to a number of Western embassies.

"One of the buildings that collapsed housed a supermarket and the Western Union office where they used to shop and withdraw money from," Ioane said. "Joella and her group left Vanuatu at about 7am and the earthquake struck at 12:47pm! My heart goes out to the relatives of those who lost their lives in that tragedy, and I thank God for his grace and protection over our tennis players."

According to the latest reports from Vanuatu, the death count has risen to 14 as rescuers continue to search for survivors.

Ioane who had traveled with his wife to Samoa to greet their daughter on arrival at the Faleolo International Airport said they found out about the earthquake from friends and relatives who had called enquiring if Joella and her team were still in Vanuatu or if they had made it out of the country safely.

The concerned father told Samoa News that despite the high travel costs to Australia, he and his wife are planning to accompany their daughter to provide moral support while she competes in the tournaments she has been invited to compete in.

Joella's achievements this year include winning silver at the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships (Team Event), getting invited to compete in Hong Kong, being selected for a prestigious training camp in New Zealand, and her latest bronze and gold medals performance in Vanuatu.

"We are humbled and proud of Joella's achievements which is the result of her commitment and determination to emulate her older sister Joelei by always striving for excellence," said the proud dad. "We have watched her being inspired by her older sister on her journey to now blazing her own trail!"

Asked if this might be another Venus and Serena success story in the making, he replied, "You never know. Wherever this leads to, I'm proud and thankful that they are chasing their dreams and that's something worth investing in."

The Ioanes will be returning to the Territory this weekend.