Samoa 2019 Pacific Games

Almost 5,000 athletes attended the Games, making it the biggest Games. New Caledonia topped the medal table with 76 gold medals. 

The closing ceremony began with many of the athletes, some wearing their medals, walking a lap of Apia Park Stadium athletics track, past the flaming cauldron, which had seen five days of action this week.

It ended with fire dancing and fireworks, including an illuminated "tofa soifua Pacific" message of farewell to the departing teams.

Jeremy Dodson who finished the race for Team Samoa said they tried their best on the track.

"Our whole team gave it our all in this race. For me, I'm a relay runner and today I didn’t show it. My best attribute is my type of speed but for my Samoan brothers who did the relay race with me, we have a lot of time to prepare for future races."

For young Kelvin Masoe, he said he was thankful for all the support shown by the crowd today.

Glenn Kable of Fiji won gold in the individual category, while Moeva Bambridge, Pascal Brettes and Tuana Degage topped the podium in teams.

“I’m feeling very comfortable, excited and happy, a whole range of emotion,” said Kable. “The competition ran very well, the grounds look very good, the hospitality has been fantastic and everything’s run smoothly.”

Across the different shooting categories scores were up over previous games.

In this version, two teams of three players aim to score in one hoop, with the first team to 21 points the winner.

In the 2017 Mini Games, Samoa and the Cook Islands took home gold in the men's and women's events respectively, however Vanuatu and New Caledonia enter as the top seeds according to regional rankings.

The format of the tournament has two pools of six teams in the men's and two pools of seven and six teams for the women's.

The top four of each pool will advance to the knockout rounds.

Photo file FIBA 

Eleven countries are participating in the powerlifting competition.

Powerlifters compete in three disciplines - squat, bench press and dead lift, each designed to measure different aspects of strength.

Athletes get at least three attempts at each and the winner will be determined by the highest weight total of the best lift in each discipline.

In 2015, hosts Papua New Guinea were dominant, particularly in the women's divisions where they claimed six of seven possible gold medals.

All eyes will be on whether they repeat the feat in 2019.

Swimming is one of 19 sports at the Pacific Games where athletes must hold a passport for the country they are representing (NZ passport for Cook Islands) and have lived there for at least five years.

Papua New Guinea challenged the eligibility of Bede Aitu, Kirsten Fisher-Marsters, Malcolm Richardson and Noah Vilisoni-Heather, who all grew up in New Zealand.

The Cook Islands Olympic Committee immediately withdrew three of the swimmers while the evidence of residency provided for the fourth was deemed insufficient by the Pacific Games Disputes Tribunal.

About 5,000 athletes from 24 countries will be competing in 27 sports at venues throughout Apia and on Savai’i in July.

Just over 2,300 medals will be awarded, with Open Water Swimming being the first medal event of the Games on 8 July, and the final day (20 July) having seven medal events (athletics, basketball 3x3, football, netball, touch, triathlon and volleyball).

There will be 323 individual medal ceremonies.

The 100 days to go mark fell on Friday, March 29^th, and Team PNG embarked on the initiative to leave a legacy and support the message of protecting the coastlines as well as looking after the environment.

The trees were donated by the National Forest Authority and were planted yesterday at Gabagaba village in Central Province.

Chef de Mission for Team PNG to Samoa 2019, Emma Waiwai, presented the seedlings to the Councilor of Gabagaba village, Donald Agarobe during Team PNG’s Media Blitz press conference in Port Moresby.