The late Tusanilefaia’ao Ieremia Salesa is a Service to Sport recipient in the third annual Ōtara Sports Awards 2019.Better known as Chris Salesa to members of the Auckland and Counties Manukau bowling community. He is an East Tamaki Bowling Club legend and at the time of his passing (June 2017), the club’s most successful bowler ever with 22 club titles.He was 74 and had been a member of the East Tamaki Bowling Club for 26 years where he served on the club’s executive and match committees and as tournament manager for several years.

His stellar bowls career includes winning one Auckland Centre title, the 2017 Auckland champion of champions triples title (with Malcolm Wright and Leon Wenzlick), a member of the East Tamaki team which won the Auckland’s inter-club title in 2015 and winner of a gold, silver and bronze at the World Masters Games in April 2017.

Tusanilefaia’ao also represented Samoa at the World Bowls Championship in Christchurch in 2016 and was a strong advocate for Pasifika Bowls.

Congratulations to the late Tusanilefaia’ao Ieremia Salesa, his family and friends.

Celebrating Ōtara greatness!