Goodbye Palau, next up Apia

KOROR, Palau—The 2005 South Pacific Mini Games bid its farewell to host country Palau yesterday evening, with athletes, officials, and supporters taking part in the closing ceremony at the Palau National Track and Field facility.

Exactly 11 days after parading into the Games with hopes of serving as ambassadors of their respective countries, participants paraded out, sporting smiles and laughter while marching through the oval with flash bulbs filling the air.

Shortly after, Palau athletes Tadashi Sakuma, Martin Ngchar, Stephanie Ngirchomei, Korang Watanabe, Julia Franz, and Kelsey Isechal were assisted by the Palau National Police Force and Law Enforcement Explorer’s Program lowering the Games flag, which was then presented to 2009 Mini Games host Cook Islands by SPG Council president Vidhya Lakhan.

Lakhan also offered words of appreciation to Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr. and the Palauan community.

“On behalf of the council and all the participating athletes and officials, I want to say thank you to the president and the people of Palau for an excellent Games held here in Palau,” Lakhan said. “The people and the leaders of Palau should indeed be proud of what they had been able to achieve and to deliver to the other members of the South Pacific island nations.”

Remengesau Jr. then took podium, acknowledging the efforts of all involved with preparations and organizing of the Games, as well as the efforts of members of participating countries as they engaged in competitive activities while also building new relationships through sportsmanship.

“We tried our very best,” Remengesau said. “If there were inconveniences and faults here and there, please leave them here in Palau and bring back with you only the good memories, our hearts, and friendship. This is the Palauan way. This is the Pacific way.”

Remengesau also reiterated that one of the highlights of the event was the name changing of the quadrennial event to the Pacific Games, with the Council citing that several countries competing in the Games are located north of the equator.

Remengesau encouraged all to prep for the 13th Pacific Games in 2007 in Apia, Samoa, as well as the 8th Pacific Mini Games in the Cook Islands in 2009, and the 14th Pacific Games in New Caledonia in 2011.

“We have a lot of training to do for these events, but first, let’s celebrate being together on this beautiful Pacific evening,” he said. “We may be formidable adversaries in the playing fields, but now we are friends, neighbors, brothers and sisters, sharing common interests, problems, hopes, and aspirations, all connected to each other by the one great Pacific Ocean. We are all at peace with the world.”

Remengesau then officially declared the Mini Games closed, with all in attendance applauding in satisfaction of another successful event.

Meanwhile, a special award was also presented to 74-year-old Tadao Ngotel of Palau, who was the recipient of the final gold medal presented at the Games.

Remengesau and Mini Games organizing committee chair Dr. Patrick Tellei presented the medal to Ngotel, who was supposed to have competed in the 20k Walk, however, was not able to do so because he was the only competitor registered for the event.

Participants of the ceremony were then treated to live entertainment and dinner, with many seizing the golden opportunity to build bridges between each country through new socializing and creating friendship.