THE 2013 IX Mini Pacific Games was officially closed on Thursday afternoon in a colourful ceremony at Kafika Stadium in Wallis and Futuna.
Pacific Games Council president Vidhya Lakhan thanked the government of
France, the local government at Wallis and Futuna, its people and sponsors for
making the 10-day event a reality.
Photo: Wallisian dancers entertaining the teams at the closing of the Mini Games.
Twenty of the 22 countries and territories in the Pacific participated in
these Games where PNG topped the medal tally with 30 gold, 26 silver and 31
bronze medals.
Next was Tahiti with 26 gold, 9 silver and five bronze while New
Caledonia got 21 gold, 13 silver and nine bronze.
American Samoa was the only state that did not win a medal in the ten-day
competition.
“What a wonderful two-week we had with spectacular performances from
athletes in this game,” Lakhan said.
Lakhan paid tribute to a Wallisian who first proposed to the council to
host the Mini Games.
“This is a dream come true for Wallis and Futuna. In 2003 Viane Otahu, a
Wallisian, made the bid to host the Mini Games here. Today his dream has become
a reality.”
Lakhan spoke the feelings of many in saying “we will take with us a lot
of good memories of Wallis and Futuna and the wonderful, friendly people of the
islands”.
The ceremony started with delegations from different countries walking
one half of the stadium, followed by the lowering of the Mini Pacific Games
flag with it being presented to Lakhan who then passed it on to the chief
executive officer of the next Mini Pacific Games Joe Kalo.
The 2017 IX Mini Pacific Games will be hosted in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
The presentation was followed by traditional songs and dances performed
by Wallisian locals.
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