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Revised scheduled for XVI Pacific Games out
Pacific Games Council officials and organizers of the XVI Pacific Games listen to a question of one of the attendees in the group’s general assembly in Apia, Samoa in June this year. (Contributed Photo)
The revised competition schedule for the XVI Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa has been released with tournaments starting on July 8 next year.
The opening ceremony is set for July 7 and the quadrennial event will run until July 20 Archery, badminton, basketball (5×5), beach volleyball, cricket, soccer, lawn bowls, Rugby League 9’s, squash, and swimming will kick off their respective competitions on July 7. Canoe racing, weightlifting, triathlon, golf, and Rugby 7’s will also start in the first week of the Pacific Games.
Majority of the remaining sports (athletics, 3×3 basketball, boxing, judo, netball, powerlifting, table tennis, taekwondo, shooting, and touch rugby,) in the calendar of events for next year’s competition will be played in the second week (July 15 to 20), while tennis, table tennis, and indoor volleyball will extend their games in the final week.
Pacific Games Council executive director Andrew Minogue, in an email to participating countries, lauded the organizers’ decision to revise the schedule.
“Congratulations to CEO Hele (Falefata Hele Ei Matatia), sports director Niko (Lepale Niko Palamo) and their team for pulling this program together, which makes good allowances for teams coming in week one and transiting out for week two teams to reduce pressure in the Village (hotels),” Minogue stated in his letter.
He also encouraged the participating countries to provide information on their number of delegates to the Pacific Games.
“With PGA athletes and officials being accommodated in hotels, it will be critical for PGAs to provide accurate team size information in the coming months. The Council will be liaising shortly with each PGA to review the first round of numerical entries and to make a best guess of what your Games team size will be, based on historical data and other factors,” he added.
Meanwhile, Northern Marianas Sports Association president Michael White, after forwarding the competition schedule to NMSA members, urged local federations to raise funds early for their participation in the Pacific Games.
