Tahiti, October 4, 2026 - The Tefana taekwondo club hosted the 7th edition of the XTREM Cup on Saturday at the Tahirimatea hall in Faa'a. The event brought together more than 200 athletes from about a dozen local clubs, ranging from beginners to experienced fighters. Some participants were training for the upcoming Pacific Games, while others were competing in their first official event. The day-long competition allowed clubs in the Fenua region—referring to French Polynesia—to evaluate their performance throughout the taekwondo season. Coach Sylvain Defaux emphasized the event's importance, saying, "This is the time to show a bit of everything we can do." The competition began with the poussins (-5 years) category, where young athletes performed non-contact matches that focused on demonstrating basic taekwondo techniques through simulated strikes on two designated combat areas. Later, the benjamins (7/8 years) category took part in high-intensity duels under real tournament conditions, using electronic scoring equipment to track points. At the end of the day, the Tahitian Martial Spirit (TMS) club won the most medals, with a total of 29, including ten titles. The second and third places were taken by Nahiti and Excelsior clubs, with 20 and 11 medals respectively. In the afternoon, senior athletes joined the competition, with several members of the Tahiti national team participating. Edo Miyaguchi, who is pre-selected for the Pacific Games in the -63 kilos category, was among the notable competitors. Miyaguchi previously won a bronze medal at the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands and now aims to secure gold at the upcoming home Games. However, he acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, "This is my goal. But first I have to keep my place in the selection." The results of upcoming competitions will be crucial in determining the rankings for all Polynesian athletes who hope to compete in the Pacific Games. Events like the XTREM Cup serve as important qualifiers and provide a platform for athletes to gain experience and improve their performance before major international competitions.