A total of 1034 athletes from 20 Pacific nations and territories are due to compete in the Pacific Mini Games in the Northern Marianas next month.
The Pacific Mini Games were originally due to be held in May – June 2021 but natural disasters, the withdrawal of government support and Covid-19 have caused the delayed for about a year.
The Solomon Islands is sending 117 athletes to Saipan, while New Caledonia has 109. The smallest delegations are Norfolk Island and American Samoa with three each.
However, the hosts and Fiji lead the delegations with 125 athletes apiece.
The 20 Pacific nations and territories attending and their number of athletes are:
- American Samoa (3)
- Australia (19) (aged 16 – 19)
- Cook Islands (10)
- Federated States of Micronesia (7)
- Fiji (125)
- Guam (101)
- Kiribati (23)
- Nauru (38)
- New Zealand (109)
- Norfolk Islands (3)
- Northern Marianas (125)
- Palau (47)
- Papua New Guinea ( 91)
- Samoa (31)
- Solomon Islands (117)
- Tonga (12)
- Tuvalu (15)
- Vanuatu (28)
- Wallis & Futuna (42)
The sport with the most athletes entered is athletics (329), followed by outrigger canoe or va’a (182) and weightlifting (131). Other sports are tennis, baseball, badminton, golf, beach volleyball, and triathlon.
The games will take place from 17-25 June.