(This was written for school children back here in PNG.)
FROM Sept 2 – Sept 12, this year, Wallis and Futuna hosted the 2013 IX
Mini Pacific Games. A total of 20 out of the 22 nations and territories sent
their athletes and officials to compete there.
The athletes competed in eight different sports – athletics, indoor
volleyball, beach volleyball, weighlifting, taekwondo, sailing, va’a (canoeing)
and rugby 7s.
Men and women competed in all sports, while rugby 7s was competed by
men’s teams only.
PNG sent the biggest group of athletes and officials – almost 200 men and
women – who competed in all the eight sports.
Most athletes from other nations came by plane, either through Fiji or
New Caledonia.
Most athletes from PNG travelled on an Air Niugini charter from Port
Moresby straight to Hihifo Airport on Wallis.
Tonga’s athletes and officials numbering about 60, travelled up to Wallis
in boats. One of the officials told some PNG officials that the journey took
four days as they passed through different islands to travel up north to
Wallis.
Heptathlon gold medalist, PNG’s Eunice Steven, with the other medal winners - the Tongans - Olivia Ete'aki (left, silver) and Mafikovi Akanete (bronze).
The hard work, preparation by athletes, their coaches and management
teams saw PNG winning the Mini Games with 30 gold, 26 silver and 31 bronze
medals.
It is the second time for PNG to top the medal tally in a Mini Pacific
Games. In 1985, PNG topped the Mini Games held in Rarotonga in Cook Islands.
Team PNG’s Chef de Mission Richard Kassman described the performance by
the athletes and officials as outstanding.
Many people talked about the 2013 Mini Games as a preparation time for
the bigger 2015 Pacific Games to be held here in Port Moresby.
Mr Kassman however told the media that PNG went to Wallis and Futuna to
do well in the Mini Games – not just to prepare for the 2015 Games.
A good number of PNG athletes were teenagers, the youngest was a
14-year-old runner.
There were other athletes from other countries who were a year or two
younger than the 14-year-old.
For PNG, athletics and weightlifting brought more medals than the other
sports.
As expected, the top woman sprinter from PNG, Toea Wisil won the gold in
the 100m, 200m, 4X100m and 4X400m, and got a silver medal in the 400m.
The person who beat Wisil in the 400m is another top PNG sprinter and
hurdler, Betty Burua.
Burua took the gold in the 400m, 4X100m, 4X400m, triple jump, 100m
hurdles and 400m hurdles.
In weighlifting, brother and sister Rita and Stephen Kari helped their
team by winning three gold medals each.
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