Team Palau at the opening ceremony of 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara. Photo credit: RNZ Pacific.
Source: RNZ Pacific
Palau is gearing up to host the 14th Pacific Mini Games, kicking off this weekend.
President Surangel Whipps Jr told RNZ Pacific he and his countrymen and women are excited about hosting the Pacific’s athletes and officials, from June 29 until July 9.
The Island Times reports Palau’s Minister of Justice Jennifer Olegeriil saying 16 regional police officers from across the Pacific will be deployed to Palau to support law enforcement during the Games.
It states Palau is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) this week with a regional policing deployment agency composed of more than 10 Pacific Island member countries and includes collaboration with the Australian Federal Police.
Minister Olegeriil is urging the public to help ensure a safe environment during the Games.
President Whipps says Qantas is adding extra flights to Palau for the Game, which is a big boost as well.
“We did hear from Qantas it added on another flight on June 28 to make sure that we get more athletes coming up here on that day,” President Whipps says.
Approximately 1,700 athletes will contest the Games, in Palau.
President Whipps adds one of the exciting programmes they have put in place is training young journalists who can help in the Games’ coverage.
“There’s a training programme to get 20 youths to be part of the media team, and so they’re training them so they can go around and do a 30-minute coverage after every day,” he says.
He adds it is hoped more young people from Palau will enter the media and communication space.
Team Palau’s 225 athletes
Palau National Olympic Committee has confirmed 225 athletes for the Mini Games.
Secretary General Baklai Temengil-Chilton confirms it is the maximum number of athletes any country can field.
Palau’s confirmed numbers mean they will have the largest team among the 22 participating Pacific nations.
The Solomon Islands has confirmed 201 athletes, which is the second largest at the Games, while Fiji has 187.
Team Palau swimmers have been in Australia for pre-Games conditioning, while the baseball team recently returned from two months of training in Taiwan.
President of the Palau National Olympic Committee Frank Kyota says investments made to upgrade and expand Palau’s sports infrastructure – including national gyms, fields, and facilities – will serve the broader community for years to come.
He says the event gives Palau athletes the opportunity to compete at a high level at home.
“Look at what sports can do,” he says.
“It brings (nations) together … and helps us focus on projects that may not have been done otherwise.”
The Games officially open on June 29 and close on July 9.
Pasifika TV is screening the 14th Pacific Mini Games, including live and highlights coverage.
Visit the Pasifika TV website for the current schedule.
