Pacific Games

The Pacific Mini Games are scheduled to take place in the Northern Marianas next June, having been delayed by 12 months because of the global pandemic.

With the infrastructure and accommodation already in place, officials are closely monitoring the Covid vaccine rollout across the region and the prospect of less border restrictions.

Pacific Games Council CEO Andrew Minogue believed the upcoming Olympics would be a major litmus test.

Association’s President, Stu McEwen said their long-term goal is to involve the sport in the Pacific competition so that the national representative teams are playing international competition every two years.

“PVDA goal is to improve the quality of darts throughout Vanuatu. The various dart playing Nations throughout the South Pacific have formed a games committee. These games are now known as the South Pacific Darts Championship.”

A number of projects funded by China were scheduled to get underway this year, including the construction of a national stadium in Honiara, before the Covid-19 pandemic led to the closure of borders and travel restrictions.

The Solomons government said the construction of new venues for the Games was back on track, with a design team from China working with local authorities.

The project includes a 10,000-seat national stadium, an aquatic centre, a six-court tennis centre and a full-sized track and field venue.

The non-self-governing New Zealand territory, which has a local population of only 1500, had one self-funded athlete at the 2015 Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea but a beefed-up team of 56 made the trip to Apia this year and competed in seven different sports: netball, swimming, rugby league nines, touch rugby, judo, Va'a and lawn bowls, where they won a bronze medal in the men's pairs.

The two-time Olympian was at the recent Pacific Games as the Vanuatu weightlifting coach for a three-member team.

 “I would like to thank the Vanuatu Government for giving me this opportunity to come back and help them for this Pacific Games,” Tulo told the Fiji Times.

“It is because of my descendants they are from Vanuatu, from Saranabuka, Amabe. I’m very lucky, very fortunate, very humbled to be given the opportunity to come back and give something back to the sport of weightlifting, the sport that I love,” he said.

In the women’s lightweight category, New Caledonia's Jaycee Brival took gold, her team mate Rosa Delots silver, and the two bronze went to NCL’s Cloe Omo-Perraut and Fiji’s Veniana Ravesi.

For the women’s heavyweight open, there was a surprise victory in gold for Shanice Takayawa of Fiji. Poerava Temakeu of Tahiti settled for silver and the bronze was shared by Tahiti’s Rauhiti Vernaudon and Teraimatuatini Bopp.

In the men’s doubles quarter finals, Tongan brothers Matavano and Semisi Fanguna upset second seeds, PNG’s Mark Gibbons and Matthew Stubbings, to progress to the semi-finals. An excited Matavano Fanguna said: ”This win means a lot. It’s our second Pacific Games but our first time to progress to the semis”.

Despite throwing four out of six foul throws at Apia Park Stadium, Vahai Sosaia’s two successful throws were comfortably the furthest of the session and he secured gold with a best effort of 62.41 metres.

Samoa’s Laurence Faapoi Tasi came second throwing 53.53m, and Papua New Guinea’s Lakona Gerega collected bronze, throwing 52.72m.

“I’m very emotional to get first place and very happy for today,” he told the Pacific Games News Service. “It has being a lot of hard work getting into the Pacific Games and it’s a reward for all the hard work along the way.”

American Samoa, Fiji, Guam, Tahiti and Vanuatu have also lodged their interest with the Pacific Games Council (PGC).

The declaration of interest from Tonga is one of the most eye-catching of the potential contenders.

The kingdom was awarded the 2019 Pacific Games back in 2012, having seen off competition from Tahiti.

Tonga's Government withdrew from hosting the Games in 2017, citing financial concerns as the motive for the decision.

It led to the PGC reopening the bid process and selecting Samoa as replacement hosts in December 2017.

The 23-year-old is based in the US where she trains, but is back in the Pacific to compete in three separate events at the Pacific Games.

She surprised everyone at the 2015 Games to win bronze in the triple jump, but she’s hoping the medal she walks away with in 2019 is gold.

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO LISTEN TO ANNIE TOPAL'S EPISODE: