Karalo Maibuca Explained

Karalo Hepoiteloto Maibuca Junior (born 10 June 1999) is a Tuvaluan sprinter. He is the son of Ratu Karalo Maibuca Senior, a Fijian, and a mother from Kioa.^[5] He was selected to compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics^[6] and was given the honour of being the flag bearer for his nation in the opening ceremony alongside Matie Stanley.^[7] In the preliminary round of the 100m he ran a Tuvaluan national record time of 11.42 seconds, but did not qualify to the next round.^[8]

Maibuca represented Tuvalu at the Pacific Mini Games in Saipan where he competed in the 100m (11.76 [-2.0]) and the 200m (23.66 [-0.9].^[9]

Maibuca represented Tuvalu at the Gold Coast XXI Commonwealth Games in 2018 and the Birmingham XXII Commonwealth Games in 2022,^[10] where he broke the Tuvalu national record in the 100m with a time of 11.39 [+0.6].^[11] Maibuca competed in the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, running 11.55 [0.0] in the 100 metres,^{[12] [13]} but failed to progress past the preliminary round.

Maibuca represented Tuvalu in the 2023 Pacific Games:

• In the preliminary heat of the 100 metres, he placed 6th with a time of 11.35 seconds, but not proceed in the competition.^[14]
• In the preliminary heat of the 200 metres, he placed 4th with a time of 23.31 seconds; in the semifinal he placed 7th with a time of 23.66 seconds, but not proceed in the competition.^[15]
• He also ran in the 4 x 100 metre relay with Kanae Saloa Malua, Londoni Tiso and Kaumoana Teaitala. In the preliminary heat the team placed 3rd with a time of 43.56 seconds; in the final the team placed 6th with a time of 43.29 seconds.^[16]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Karalo Maibuca. 2018 Commonwealth Games. 24 July 2021.
2. Web site: 28 November 2023 . 100 metre Men . Sol2023 .
3. Web site: 17 November 2023 . World Championships – Budapest 2023. Oceania Athletics . 24 November 2023 .
4. Web site: 1 December 2023 . 200 metre Men . Sol2023 .
5. Web site: Curuqara. Paulini . The Fijian Times . Fijian leads Tuvalu contingent . 31 July 2021. 8 May 2022.
6. Web site: Athletics MAIBUCA Karalo Hepoiteloto. dead. 24 July 2021. Tokyo 2020. 15 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210815113436/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1377488-maibuca-karalo-hepoiteloto.htm.
7. Web site: 23 July 2021. Athletics flag bearers help to light up Olympic Opening Ceremony in Tokyo. 24 July 2021. worldathletics.org.
8. Web site: Athletics - Preliminary Round - Heat 3 Results. 2 August 2021. Tokyo 2020. 9 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210809182513/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/result-men-s-100m-prel-000300-.htm. dead.
9. Web site: 17 November 2023 . World Championships – Budapest 2023. Oceania Athletics . 24 November 2023 .
10. Web site: Webster . Andrew . 'I am from Tuvalu and my country is going to sink': Comm Games team you should be backing . Sydney Morning Herald . 30 July 2022. 30 July 2022.
11. Web site: 17 November 2023 . World Championships – Budapest 2023. Oceania Athletics . 24 November 2023 .
12. Web site: 17 November 2023 . World Championships – Budapest 2023. Oceania Athletics . 24 November 2023 .
13. Web site: 19 August 2023. Karalo Hepoiteloto MAIBUCA . Worldathletics.org. 24 November 2023.
14. Web site: 28 November 2023 . 100 metre Men . Sol2023 .
15. Web site: 1 December 2023 . 200 metre Men . Sol2023 .
16. Web site: 1 December 2023 . 4x100 relay Men . Sol2023 .