Jeremy Collier has travelled some 17,000 kilometres from Tonga to Switzerland to pursue his Olympic ambition.
Also known as Viliami Mafi, the Tongan archer is the first of four athletes set to train at the World Archery Excellence Centre as they prepare for the LA28 Olympic Games.
It is a considerable move for someone who admits that, growing up, sport was never particularly present in his life.
“I’ll be honest, growing up, I was never into sports,” he said.
Jeremy first tried archery at around 11 or 12, but stopped after roughly a year. He returned in 2019, aged 16, encouraged by an older cousin who coached archery and told him about an opportunity to train in China.
The prospect of travelling helped bring him back to the range. The success of a close friend would later give him another reason to stay.
Swimmer Noelani Day represented Tonga at Tokyo 2020 and again at Paris 2024. Watching his former classmate reach the Olympics made Jeremy wonder whether he could do the same.
“I was just like, man, that’s so cool,” he said. “I wonder if I can make it.”
The Olympic Solidarity scholarship made that ambition more achievable, providing financial and technical support as he prepares for the LA28 qualification process.
“I’ve always had the goal, but I think this is the real opportunity,” he said. “It’s just to make the Olympics.”
