Pacific Mini Games 2009

Team Cook Islands triathlon team (from left) Rangi Apera, Geoff Stoddart, Thomas Henderson, Apii Napa and Jennie George were full of national pride after finishing the Olympic distance triathlon course. Report inside. 09093043

The Games glamour sport takes centre stage today.

The rugby sevens competition will kick off this morning at 10 o’clock at the BCI Stadium, with the Cooks playing Wallis & Futuna in the first game.

The sevens will continue until tomorrow, before the closing ceremony.

The heavyweights will round up the weightlifting competition at the Telecom Sports Arena, with sessions starting at 10am, 12.15pm, 2.30pm and 4.45pm.

The individuals squash competition will also finish today at the TSA, with a medal presentation at the conclusion.

Tennis also wraps up with men’s and women’s singles and doubles finals at the national tennis centre.

The singles finals in table tennis will be played at Aroa Nui hall throughout the day.

Sailing continues on the Aitutaki lagoon with medal presentation to follow.

The lawn bowls presentation will be held at 10 o’clock this morning.

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Today’s first day of the PMG rugby sevens competition is heating up to be a real thriller with the best regional teams vying for the gold medal.

BCI stadium is the place to be to catch the action as 10 teams go head to head for sevens supremacy..

Team Fiji is the biggest threat in this competition as sevens rugby has become the nation’s national sport.

While the word is that the team here for the two-day sevens competition is not Fiji’s best national side, they are still expected to be classy and fast.

Fiji has been drawn in Pool A along with Tahiti, Niue, Wallis and Fortuna and hosts the Cook Islands.

Pool B includes Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia.

The Cook Islands fields a talented side of players from Rarotonga and three stars from Aitutaki.

Injured all-rounder Terry Piri fronted a media conference yesterday and was calm and confident.

“Fiji and Samoa are fielding their number one teams, so PNG and us are the underdogs, really,” he said. “Anything can happen for underdogs.”

Asked how his team would cope with finals pressure, and the expectation of the home crowd for a victory, he said, “We won’t worry about the crowd. We’ll just give it 100 percent.”

The Cook Islands team is a combination of experienced players like Koiatu Koiatu and Bruce Goldsworthy plus young talents including 17-year-old Tatuava Tatuava of Tupapa, who Piri said that he and the team is proud of.

The youngster has turned up to training right throughout the build up to make it into the final squad.

Tatuava is the only newcomer to the team and it will be a proud moment when he plays in front of his family and friends.

It was also significant, Piri said, that three Aitutaki players had made the sevens squad including former international representative Messine Manapori and Cook Islands Sports Academy students Alex Roa and Teu Paerau.

Alex Roa was one of the standout players in the Avatiu-Nikao rugby clubs championship win this year and will no doubt be a playmaker for the Cooks in this sevens competition.

While little is known about the remaining regional teams, one thing is for sure – they are not to be underestimated.

So don’t miss out on the sevens fever and get your tickets now and get to the BCI stadium.

Today’s draw is on page 7.

- Matariki Wilson

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Hobie 16 catamarans decorate this beach scene at Aitutaki where the sailing competition of the 2009 Pacific Mini Games comes to a close today.

Cook Islands is a strong contender for medals in the sailing. Final report and photos in tomorrow’s Cook Islands News.

During the Pacific Mini Games sports competitions, Team Cook Islands chef de mission George George (left) has bumped into a number of old friends.

Among them is legendary New Caledonian athlete Alain Lazare (far right) who was a triple gold medalist at the 1985 Mini Games here in the Cook Islands in the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m.

Plus George also caught up with the coach of the 1985 New Caledonia rugby team Pierre Forest (second from left) whose team had to settle for the silver medal after being beaten by George and his team mates in the 1985 squad.

The old mates are joined here by Wejieme Joseph (wearing hat), Team New Caledonia secretary general.

Among the volunteers for the Safe Games programme is 17-year-old Joel Pokura (pictured below) who says mixing and mingling is what he’s doing.

Joel is a student at Tereora College and he says without the mini games he would be sitting at home doing nothing, so he’s glad it was organised to be held here.

He says he enjoys chatting to the players because the questions they ask him relating to the Safe Games programme are hilarious.

Joel adds that he’s made a lot of friends during the games because of the volunteer programme and that the experience of being able to mix with people from different cultures will be unforgettable.

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The call has gone out to the 1985 Mini Games rugby union golden boys (pictured here) to come along to the rugby sevens competition starting today.

Your support is needed.

Team Cook Islands chef de mission George George, who was a member of the gold medal winning team, is asking members of the 1985 squad to make an effort and come and support our boys.

George says you will get VIP treatment and could provide some very valuable advice to the Cook Islands team today and tomorrow.

The Cook Islands is up against Wallis and Fortuna in the first match today starting at 10am.

PGC president comments on current Pacific Mini Games

“I salute the 15 competition managers and the people in the PMG 2009 sports department for conducting the sport competitions so well despite some shortcomings along the way,” says Pacific Games Council (PGC) president Vidhya Lakhan.

He released his final reflections on the games in a statement yesterday.

“Athletes from 21 countries came, participated and enjoyed the games and the hospitality of the people. They will leave your shores happy and content,” he said.

“We saw some very high level of competition and individual performances across very many sports.”

Lakhan says while there were some hiccups in catering and in the transport area, the organising committee was warned of possible challenges in these areas.

“It appears our advice may have been taken too lightly. We nevertheless thank the staff and volunteers in these two areas for working tirelessly.”

Accomodation for athletes got full marks from Lakhan who says it was excellent.

“We have had no complaints in that regard. If anything, all reports were complimentary and the Cook Islands school communities are to be warmly congratulated.”

But Lakhan believes the Cook Islands missed a golden opportunity to show case their culture to the rest of the world last week.

“The opening ceremony was stunningly dismal. What happened to all the cultural island dancing and shows for which Cook Islands is renowned world over? I understand cultural groups from the outer islands were in Rarotonga but for reasons unknown they were not included in the opening ceremony programme.”

The other sore point for the PGC was that the stadium for the opening ceremony was virtually empty.

“Why could we not have filled the stadium with school children? We are beaming the pictures of the opening ceremony to the rest of the world and we do not want to beam an empty stadium. Athletes marching into an empty stadium should always be avoided at all costs,” said Lakhan.

“I urge both of these matters to be rectified to ensure a truly celebratory closing ceremony on Friday night.”

The games volunteers, as usual, made the difference, says Lakhan.

“They gave of themselves unselfishly, their time and whatever little resources they had, to ensure the visiting delegations were well looked after and able to compete in their respective competitions in the best of conditions.”

“As a legacy of these Games, Cook Islands will have some wonderful first class sporting facilities. The Pacific Games Council will be very much interested in seeing how these facilities will be used post games in the development of sport in the Cook Islands. We would urge the authorities to ensure our Cook Islands athletes have easy access to them.”

Lakhan says Team Cook Islands did exceptionally well at these Games. I understand the large number of medals won by the Cook Islanders at these games is their best performance ever. I am sure the whole nation will rejoice in their achievements.”

He says it always helps if people honour and deliver on their contractual obligations and listen to the voices of the experienced.

“I thank the Prime Minister (Jim Marurai) and his government for the support provided to the Cook Islands Pacific Games Association (CISNOC) in the delivery of the Cook Islands 2009 Pacific Mini Games. I also salute CISNOC, Sir Geoffrey Henry and all the staff, for their work and dedication, often in trying circumstances.

And finally, may I express my gratitude to the people of Cook Islands for your hospitality to us all. You have made these games a memorable one for all of us. On behalf of the Council and all the participants please accept our sincere thanks.”

Rarotonga’s Nane Tere celebrates her bronze medal success in women’s singles in the last day of play at the PMG bowls tournament yesterday. 90930161

A bronze medal to Nane Tere in the women’s singles was the cream on the cake for the Rarotonga contingent at the last day of play in the PMG lawn bowls tournament yesterday.

Overall Cook Islands won four gold, one silver and two bronze medals in the bowls.

Tere just missed the silver after a narrow loss in the tie breaker against Norfolk Islands’ sole participant Kathleen Bailey. But good on you Kathleen, a silver medal will be big news back on The Rock.

Niue’s Rereiti won the gold medal after beating Fiji’s Adi Lavenia 14-3, 12-4 yesterday.

“It’s been a fantastic tournament,” said venue manager Phillip Tangi last night.

“Great people and a great atmosphere – everybody getting to know each other and mixing together - just one big family of Pacific nations.”

International advisor Kerry Clark from New Zealand said it was a very well run tournament with bowls of a very high standard being played.

“I’ve been involved in international bowls for many years and this was a great tournament full of wonderful people. No complaints at all!”

Bowlers are celebrating tomorrow morning with a mass march through town. People are asked to assemble at the television station where the crowd will start the parade through town returning to the Rarotonga Bowling Club for the medal presentations starting at 10am.

Phillip Tangi says there is a possibility that other athletes in team Cook Islands will join the parade.

Phillip said he wanted to thank Kerry Clark, local members, umpires and volunteers for making the tournament such a success.

New Caledonia’s David Esposito leaps across the finish line of yesterday’s triathlon to take the gold medal in the men’s race. 09093080

New Caledonia wins 3 golds – teams bronze to Cook Islands

The New Caledonian national anthem thundered across Avatiu harbour three times yesterday to announce the three gold medals won by the nation in a clean sweep at the triathlon.

New Caledonia’s David Esposito blitzed the Olympic distance course (1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run) in a total time of 2 hours 6 minutes and 39 seconds.

Female team mate Erika Ellis was the first woman across the line in a time of 2 hours 24 minutes and 45 seconds.

In fact, it was a New Caledonia clean up in the women’s race with Catherine Grangeon taking silver (2.28.35) and Kandy Point coming in over three minutes after Grangeon for the bronze medal.

New Caledonia’s third gold medal came from the team event with their three fastest times added for a final overall time of 6 hours 40 minutes and 42 seconds.

But at 8.30am – the race was anybody’s.

Ten triathletes lined up on the Avatiu slipway for the start of the men’s race, a 1500m swim, including two Cook Islands athletes – Thomas Henderson and Geoff Stoddart.

Three minutes later 13 women followed in their wake with Team Cook Islands athletes Jennie George, Apii Napa and Rangi Apera setting out at the front of the pack.

The first athlete out of the water was Tahiti’s Francois Hermier in a strong time of 22 minutes 31 seconds with fellow team mate Laurent Barra 17 seconds behind him.

Eventual winner of the men’s race, David Esposito, was third out of the water.

The first local athlete out of the water was young Thomas Henderson who emerged fourth in a time of 24 minutes and 10 seconds. He was followed a little over a minute later by seasoned athlete Geoff Stoddart.

A real battle emerged between the pair on the bike leg as Stoddart hunted Henderson down to finish the 40km leg in 1.07.05 with Henderson finishing in 1.13.38.

Henderson recorded a faster time in the run leg completing the 10km leg in 39.36 while Stoddart ended his run leg in 42.30 for a 6th overall placing in a total time of 2.16.20.

In fact, it was announced after he crossed the line that his time was exactly the same as he achieved at the World Championships on the Gold Coast of Australia earlier this month.

Henderson was behind him to place 7th overall in a total time of 2.17.55.

At the world champs, Henderson clocked a time of 2.16.41.

Then it was a waiting game for Cook Islands triathlon supporters as they put all their energy into cheering on female athlete Jennie George with a teams medal on their minds.

Jennie George, as she always does, was smiling away the pain of the race and putting all she had into it.

After a tremendous race she placed fourth in the women, 3 minutes and 37 seconds after the bronze medal winner from New Caledonia.

George was sixth out of the water in the women’s race with a swim time of 27.16. She recorded the third fastest cycle time in the women’s race (1.19.13) with eventual winner Erika Ellis of New Caledonia finishing in 1.13.51.

With George across the line, the Cooks had the bronze in the bag but still had two team mates out in the blazing sun battling it out in the run leg.

Rangi Apera and Apii Napa set personal goals for the race.

For one, they wanted to shave time of their personal best times – and they did.

The inspirational pair were cheered on the whole way and even more so when they crossed the finish line.

Rangi Apera came 10th overall in a finish time of 2.47.05 to achieve her personal goal of coming in under the three hour mark.

Apii Napa put everything she had into her race and smashed her personal best time of 3 hours and 12 minutes by 8 minutes for a final finish of 3.04.29.

The local women are without a doubt wonderful role models for young Cook Islands women.

Sure there are faster and fitter women out there, but they committed themselves to their training and lined up with some of the fastest and fittest women in the region to only complete the race and achieve their goals.

Well done ladies! Full results on page 7.

Samoa

The Chef de Mission of Samoa, Faamau Samuelu Te’o Fuimaono, would like to thank the organisers and the Pacific Games Council for a job well done. Cook Islands has been one of the best for hosting the Pacific Mini Games 2009. The Samoa team will not forget Cook Islands not only because of the tragedy that has taken place in our home land but the hospitality has been great, we were treated so well, it feels like Cook Islands is just another part of Samoa, we felt so at home.

American Samoa

Eddie Etisone Imo is the Chef de Mission from American Samoa and thanks the organising and the country Cook Islands for the generosity and hospitality. We should like to say a special thank you to Bishop Pere for his sympathy, thoughts and prayers through these trying times for our country. The comradeship that we have experienced in the Cook Islands and with those that are participating in the Games

Vanuatu

James Malau the Chef de Mission from Vanuatu would like to say thank you “Tumas” for the hospital and friendship during the Games. We want to say that we enjoyed the time that we spent here and shared with you, we go back with good memories. God bless you all.

Tokelau

Ka kite, kia manuia, we came as strangers and we leave as friends. Meitaki maata to our adoptive village of Mangaia and all the staff at Avarua Primary School, thank you for making us feel at home. Thank you Cook Islands for the wonderful hosting of the Pacific Mini Games 2009. God’s blessings to you all and see you all in New Caledonia. Tofa Ni Alofa Lahi from team Tokelau.

Niue

Team Niue acknowledges everyone that has made the PMG09 a success and would like to say on behalf of the Niue Government and NISANOC “Fakaue Lahi” Cook Islands people. Well done! Team Niue also extends condolences to the families of the victims of the natural disaster in American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga. God comfort you all at this time.

Papua New Guinea

On behalf of the athletes and officials of Team PNG, we would like to congratulate all volunteers and officials on staging a successful Pacific Mini Games 2009. We will leave with fond memories of the 10 days of competition and of course the beauty of Rarotonga. May God richly bless the people of Nikao for being wonderful hosts. We look forward to seeing you all in the Pacific Games 2015 in Port Moresby.

Tahiti

The athletes from Tahiti are staying in a beautiful place at Avatea with very good conditions. All the people of the Cook Islands are so friendly but there is just one problem, our athletes did not get enough food. Even though we are skinny people, we like to eat a lot. God bless Cook Islands and all the other countries that participated.

New Caledonia

Chef de Mission Laurent Cassier from New Caledonia would like to say that with all our hearts, we thank the people of Cook Islands for the spectacular welcoming of our team. We brought a young squad and we are preparing for 2011 Games in Noumea, we came with high expectations and we feel that we have reached, that as it has been a team effort. We really want everyone to come to New Caledonia, we want to share the moments with our pacific communities, and we want to have a big fiesta with you all. The pacific community is the best in the world.

Nauru

Chef de Mission Marissa Cook from Nauru would like to thank our sports colleagues, the volunteers, liaison officers who helped us. To the people of Cook Islands, thank you for your generous hospitality to our team and we will see you again at the next Games. God bless Cook Islands and the people.

Palau

Chef de Mission Kenny Reklai, on behalf of the Palau National Olympic Committee the team Palau athletes and officials says we would like to congratulate the organising committee for the purpose of the Games, the officials and volunteers for all their hard work and especially to our Rutaki School and the village for opening their hearts and making us feel at home. To our friends from Wallis & Futuna, who shared our accommodations, we congratulate you for your effort in the games and look forward to seeing you as you host Games 2013.

Federated States of Micronesia

Chef de Mission George Steven says on behalf of team FSM we would like to thank the Cook Islands people the tremendous work that you have all done. If you had not worked together, we would not have had good competition. Thank you for the hospitality and the beautiful smiles, all the assistances, and caring for us. We have enjoyed good sleep at our accommodation and the food we have also enjoyed. We wish you all the best for future Games Cook Islands.

Tuvalu

From the Tuvalu team, thank you to Tereora College for providing accommodation, and to those at the dining hall for feeding us, thank you also to the Tuvaluan families who visited us and also fed us. To the PMG09 organisers thank you. The two sports we entered were Weightlifting and Athletics, we have enjoyed our time here and with the experience gained, we hope to be better athletes. We would like to come again to Cook Islands.

Kiribati

On behalf of the Kiribati team we want to say that we really enjoyed the hospitality of the people of the Cook Islands and we enjoyed the Games. We hope there will be a next Pacific Mini Games in the Cook Islands so that we can come back again and “share the moments” with you all.

Note:

To all those countries that we were not able to get hold of to make your final comments, thank you for coming to the Cook Islands, we pray that your stay has been most enjoyable and that when you go back to your country, you will share the moments to all that you meet and one day come back to our beautiful paradise.

Medal winners in the 77kg – Fa’avae Fa’auliuli (Samoa), Josefa Vueti (Fiji) and Taubena Tatonga (Kiribati). 7 90930147

Two of the lifters at the New Caledonia weightlifting institute walked away with gold at the Pacific Mini Games championships yesterday.

Kiribati’s Tekaei Temake clinched the three golds in the 69kg class, ahead of Ilaniume Finau from Tonga and Bill Andrews from Fiji.

However, his main competition, Toafitu Perive from Samoa, crashed out of the competition by failing a lift in the clean and jerk. Perive failed to lift 146kg on three occasions so he did not register a clean and jerk for his total.

However the Samoan was able to snatch 111kg for silver – by one kilogram – behind Temake in the first discipline.

In the clean and jerk, Temake lifted 150kg for a total of 262kg.

In the 77kg class, Fijian Josefa Vueti, who is based in Noumea, took the overall category (292kg), but not without a fight from Samoan Fa’avae Fa’auliuli.

The Samoan pipped Vueti by one kilogram in the snatch (126kg) but the Fijian came back to clean and jerk 167kg. Vueti’s winning total was 292kg – five ahead of Fa’auliuli.

Taubena Tatonga from Kiribati was third overall with a total of 235kg (110kg & 125kg).

In the women’s 69kg class, Tauimani Ah Kuoi (Samoa) won gold with a total of 166kg (68kg & 98kg), Hapilyn Iro (Solomon Islands) lifted 147kg (65kg & 82kg), and Raijeli Tagua from Fiji won bronze with a total lift of 136kg.

In the women’s 75kg category, Samoa’s Mary Opeloge won gold with a 192 total (87kg & 105kg), Tamyrah Mautama (Niue) lifted 126kg (55kg & 71kg), and Molilaau Kailea only lifted in the snatch (65kg).

Vanuatu dominated the doubles at the table tennis competition held at Aroa Nui yesterday.

Anolyn Lulu and Liopa Santhy were too strong for the Tahiti Nui pairing of Brenda Lui and Tuarikirau Thunot, winning three sets to nil.

It was the same in the men’s doubles, with Anolyn’s brother, Ham Frexly Lulu, and Yoshua Shing beating the Fijian pair of Richel Sen and Qi Wang.

Tahiti Nui won the mixed doubles with Tinihau-O-Terai Klouman (m) and Thunot defeating Wang and Shriti Jet of Fiji.

The Cook Islands women’s pairing of Louisa and Nekeaere Manico were beaten in the semi finals by the eventual winners, and then missed out on the bronze to another Vanuatu doubles combination.

The finals of the men’s and women’s singles will be played today.

A new Pacific record was set yesterday in the 85kg weightlifting competition at the Telecom Sports Arena.

Yukio Peter of Nauru has set a new record for snatch (150kg) and clean and jerk (190kg) for a total of 340kg.

Sirla Pera lifted 227kg (100kg & 127kg) for third placing, while Beru Karianako was second with a total lift of 265kg.

Kairangi Vano the in semi final which she won against Steffie Carruthers (Samoa) 6-2, 6-1. She plays the final tomorrow against Elodie Dietrich-Rogge who beat Brittany Teei 6-2, 6-4 in semi final. 09093005

Today is the day to be at the National Tennis Centre with five gold medals to be decided at the Pacific Mini Games tennis tournament.

Be prepared for a spectacle of tennis as the Pacific’s top tennis players fight for a treasure chest of medals in men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

Last night’s mixed doubles semi final between the third seeded Cook Islands team of Brett Baudinet and Kairangi Vano versus top seeded New Caledonia’s Nikolas N’Godrela and Elodie Dietrich-Rogge was a show stopper.

After winning the first set, the local duo were sent to the bronze medal play-off after losing a thrilling tie breaker 5-7.

In the men’s singles top seed Nicolas N’Godrela meets the “old man” of the tournament, the flamboyant 39-year-old sixth seed Gilles De Gouy.

N’Godrela’s father, Wanaro N’Godrela, a New Caledonian kanak, has his own place in tennis history as the first ever non-European to represent France, playing Davis Cup tennis in the 1960s.

Cook Islands have two chances yet to take gold. Second seed Kairangi Vano meets top seed Elodie Dietrich-Rogge of New Caledonia in the women’s singles final.

Before that match, she teams up with Brittany Teei against top seeds Dietrich-Rogge and Meryl Pydo in the women’s doubles showdown.

Other golds and silvers to be decided today are in men’s doubles between New Caledonia and Tahiti, and the mixed doubles between Samoa and New Caledonia.

Cook Islands Brittany Teei meets Samoa’s Steffie Carruthers to decide the bronze.

In the men’s singles bronze play off, the match is between the two Samoan brothers Leon and Marvin So’onalole.

Play starts at 8am with the men’s singles final first up on court two followed by the Vano versus Dietrich women’s clash.