'We Have Done Our Best': Palau Ready To Host The 2025 Pacific Mini Games

Scoop

4 days ago

There is a buzz in the air as athletes and team officials have started arriving in Koror, Palau, for the 2025 Pacific Mini Games set to officially open on Sunday.
The Games is scheduled to take place from 29 June to 9 July.
Majority of the competing teams are already in Palau,with others flying in over the next two days.
As the different contingents jet into the Palauan capital, President Surangel Whipps Jr, along with Taiwan's Ambassador Jessica Lee, and other local dignitaries, launched 11 facilities that have been upgraded or built for the event.
These were funded through more than US$5.7 million in support from Taiwan.
The completed projects include: Long Island Beach Volleyball Facility, Meyuns Canoe Racing Facility, Meyuns Softball Field, Meyuns PNOC Swimming Pool Facility, Wrestling and Weightlifting Facility, Palau High School Spider Gym (Basketball), Palau National Track and Field, Asahi Baseball Field, Melekeok Archery Facility, KB Bridge Beach Wrestling Facility and the Ngiwal Triathlon Facility
The Island Times reports that some of the facilities, such as the Palau High School Spider Gym, faced delays due to late arrival of construction materials.
Palau Pacific Games Organising Committee chair Dr Patrick Tellei told RNZ Pacific in an earlier interview the delay was expected, but all facilities have now been completed.
Dr Tellei said Palau is ready to host the Games.
"We are excited, and we have done our best to make sure we host the Games to the best of our abilities, with what we have," he said.
Twenty-four countries are going to be represented at the event, with athletes competing across 12 sports.
"The whole nation is excited," he added.
Papua New Guinea
Team Papua New Guinea arrived via two chartered flights, making the three-hours flight across from Port Moresby to Koror on Thursday.
PNG won the last Mini Games in Saipan, Northern Marianas in 2022.
PNG Olympic Committee president Emma Waiwai said in a statement that the athletes are ready to retain their title by winning the majority of medals at the event.
The contingent is made up of 185 athletes and officials.
Team PNG will be competing in nine of the 12 sports.
These are in athletics, basketball 3x3, beach volleyball, softball, swimming, table tennis, va'a (outrigger canoeing), volleyball (Indoor) and weightlifting.
Waiwai said Team PNG will compete in both the men's and women's divisions for these nine sports except for beach and indoor volleyball, which will only field the men's teams while softball is only for women.
"Team PNG athletes are some of the best in the Pacific and the Oceania region, and also the Commonwealth, and are always proud to represent their country," Waiwai said.
"I am always proud to see our athletes run out in our national colours, and I look forward to seeing them flying our flag in Palau."
Government chartered two Air Niugini flights, and approved support budget around US$988,000.
The Post-Courier newspaper reported Sports Minister Kinoka Feo confirming the funding during the farewell ceremony held at Port Moresby's Taurama Aquatic Centre (TAC).
Feo also farewelled the contingent on behalf of Prime Minister James Marape, the PNG Government, and the PNG Sports Foundation.
"To our athletes, this moment is a celebration of your dedication, sacrifice and hard work you have all put in to prepare for this event," he told athletes and officials.
"You've trained in the heat, in the rain, in the early mornings and late evenings. Now you are going to wear the red, black and gold on the international stage not just as competitors but as ambassadors of our great country.
"Champions are not born overnight, they are born through hard work, dedication and commitment, so as you head to Palau, I encourage you to compete with everything that you have and don't hold back. Let the flag on your chest remind you of who you are and where you come from. Let it drive you to dig deeper, find the energy, courage, and strength even when it gets tough out there."
Waiwai thanked the PNG Government "for standing behind Team PNG time and again, even at the 11th hour, to ensure our athletes have the support they need to represent our country with pride".
She also acknowledged the sponsors for their support as Team PNG head off to defend the title that they won at the last Pacific Games in the Northern Mariana Islands.
Josh Tarere from swimming and Thelma Toua of weightlifting will be the PNG flag bearers.
Tarere has represented PNG for eight years,and made his international debut at just 18 years old at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The 25 year old is one of the veterans in the team.
Toua has competed at the Commonwealth and Oceania Championships, IWF World Championship, Pacific Mini Games, and the prestigious Arnold Schwarzenegger Tournament in Melbourne.
She is the current Oceania Champion in her category.
Cook Islands
Team Cook Islands have named beach volleyball players Brendon Heath and Alanna Smith as their official flagbearers at the Games.
Cook Islands News said Smith has represented the Cook Islands in international competitions.
Smith is teaming up with Twinna Tangirere at the upcoming Mini Games.
Veteran volleyball player Heath, who is also the U18 beach volleyball head coach, has teamed up with Raiti Herman.
Smith said it is an awesome opportunity to showcase Cook Islands culture, song and drumming.
Fiji
With their focus set on upcoming international meets, Team Fiji officials are optimistic the experience in Palau will be good for their young athletes.
A chance to gain exposure at a prominent level will be a key objective for young athletes travelling with Team Fiji for the Pacific Mini Games in Palau.
Chef de mission Josaia Tuinamata told FASANOC media in Nadi, before their first contingent left for Palau on Friday morning, that they are taking a lot of young athletes to help their development at the Mini Games.
Some of the events they want to build up for includes the Pacific Games and the Olympic Games.
"I think the athletes they'll do well, because we're looking to Los Angeles in 2028," he said.
"Tahiti is in 2027 and also our home-based Game advantage, which is Brisbane in 2032.
"We expect medals. At least the seniors can push the youth, because some of them will be finishing, some will be having this as their last tour and then we'll rely on our youths come next year for the Youth Games."
Team Fiji general manager Anushil Kumar told The Fiji Times majority of their athletes are youths and they had a lot to look forward to.
"It will be the first time for quite a few of them because with the new youth component coming on for the Pacific Mini Games by the Pacific Games Council, a majority of Team Fiji's contingent are youths," Kumar said.
"They have a lot to look forward to and I think it will be a big once in a lifetime achievement for most of them."
He said the Mini Games would be the ideal platform to build athletes up for the Pacific Games in Tahiti in two years' time.
Team Fiji will compete in the 12 sports, with a total of 186 athletes and officials scheduled for Palau.
Vanuatu
The Vanuatu Government will spend US$333,417 to charter a flight for its national contingent to the Games.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Justice, Youth and Community Services, Job Andy in Vila on Thursday.
Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee chief executive David Lolo had told RNZ Pacific last month they had sought government's assistance for the contingent.
Thursday's announcement means the athletes and officials will be in Koror before the opening ceremony on Sunday.
Team Vanuatu has also announced that volleyball's Stivano Banga and judoka Veronica Tari will be the country's flagbearers at the Games.
Solomon Islands
The Solomon islands National Sport Council (NSC) has announced an incentive package for national athletes representing the country at the Games.
Athletes can receive SD$7,000 for Gold, SD$5,000 for Silver and SD$3,000 for Bronze.
Sun Sports in Honiara said NSC Chairman Joe Sika had confirmed the medal incentives will be awarded to all athletes representing Team Solomon.
"The NSC Board has approved medal incentives for our athletes," Sika said.
"These incentives will be issued for both team and individual sports upon the athletes' return from Palau.
"We look forward to the athletes achieving new personal bests, new national and Pacific records, and medals to make the Solomon Islands proud."
The NSC has also funded 70 members of Team Solomon for the Games.
Team Solomons will compete in archery, athletics, baseball, basketball (3x3), judo, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, Va'a, volleyball (both beach and indoor), weightlifting, and wrestling.
Tonga
Tonga had 33 athletes in Palau.
The Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC) has confirmed Tonga will compete in archery, athletics, basketball, beach volleyball, table tennis, swimming and weightlifting.
The archery team was the first to arrive in Koror.
Northern Marianas
Almost half of Team Marianas contingent are females.
Mariannas Variety reported this week that it was heartening for the county to see so many females and youths in their contingent.
Northern Marianas Sports Association president Jerry Tan said it is exciting.
"The future of sports in the CNMI is bright," Tan said, while farewelling the team in Saipan this week.
Tan noted that 40 percent of the athletes are under the age of 18 and 47 percent are women.
"Almost half of this group are women," Tan continued.
"One thing about sports is that it's played by both men and women, but usually, it's a lot easier to recruit boys and men.
"In our case, we're just so happy to see that we only need three percent more to reach 50 percent. What does that mean? It means the future of sports in the CNMI is bright."
*RNZ Pacific's digital journalist Coco Lance will be leading our coverage of the Mini Games from Koror.