Having last won – or reached the final – of the continental competition in 1991, Cook Islands trailed 26-22 at the halfway point at the Multi-Sport Centre in Samoa.

However, they came roaring back in a pulsating final which swung both ways throughout, and eventually denied Tonga what would have been their first Pacific Games title.

Earlier, Papua New Guinea won bronze with a comfortable 64-35 victory over hosts Samoa.

Samoa looked jaded having narrowly lost their semi-final to Tonga, and were as wasteful with their shooting as Papua New Guinea were ruthless.

Elsewhere, the tiny nation of Nauru proved a powerlifting powerhouse as they stormed to four gold medals on the final day of competition in Gym 1 at Faleata Sports Complex.

On a day of six men's competitions, Nitram Dagagio won the 74 kilograms category, ahead of Papua New Guinea's Larsen Lio and Kaoma Taake of Kiribati.

In the 83kg, Deamo Baguga headed a Nauru one-two as he beat team mate Gaiminum Adam, while bronze went to Tahiti's Marc Lisan.

Jesse Roland won the 93kg division, as Tahiti's Miguel Hopuetai and New Caledonian Frederick Warsidi completed the podium.

The men's 105 kg saw Josh Cook victorious, beating Samoa's Titi Misili Penieli into second and Alfred Mel from Papua New Guinea into third.

The two heaviest weight categories were won by home favourites: in the 120kg, Koale Tasi Taala took gold as silver went to Tuvalu's Telupe Iosefa.

Another Samoan, Tavita Lipine, could only win bronze despite setting a world record in the squat, lifting 320kg.

Oliva Kirisome also earned gold for Samoa, winning the +120 kg discipline, as Papua New Guinea's Vagi Henry and New Caledonia's Julien Moala won the silver and bronze, respectively.

Today also saw the first-ever Pacific Games aquathlon competition, consisting of two running legs and one of swimming, and both the men's and women's races were won by Tahiti.

Salome De Barthez De Marmorieres won the women’s aquathlon in 30 minutes 33 seconds from a field of 11 competitors. 

She was followed by two New Caledonians – Benedicte Meunier in 31:13 and open water swimming champion Charlotte Robin in 32:09.

De Barthez De Marmorieres is also competing in tomorrow's triathlon, trying to go one better than her silver from Port Moresby 2015 – Robin won gold in that event.

In the men's race, Benjamin Zorgnotti won gold in 27:47, followed also by a pair from New Caledonia, Benoit Riviere finishing in 28:11 and Lopez Julien in 28:18.

While they came up short on the water in aquathlon, New Caledonia's sailors had much better fortunes as they won all four golds in the events which finished today.

Etienne Le Pen led from start to finish in the men's laser individual competition, with team mate Maxime Mazard close in second place, while Australia's Will Sargent was third.

The hobie cat competition saw New Caledonian sailors occupy all three podium places, Leo Belouard, Auxence Thomas and Shayne Brodie winning gold, silver and bronze, respectively.

The laser team event had Samoa in second place behind New Caledonia with Fiji third, while Fiji and Tahiti earned silver and bronze in the hobie cat team contest.