Wikipedia

2023 Pacific Games

The 2023 Pacific Games, officially known as the XVII Pacific Games, was a continental multi-sport event for Oceania countries and territories held in Honiara, Solomon Islands between 19 November and 2 December 2023.[1] This was the first time that the Solomon Islands have hosted the Pacific Games.

XVII Pacific Games
Official logo of the Games
Host cityHoniara
CountrySolomon Islands
MottoChallenge, Celebrate, Unite
Nations24
Events342 in 24 sports
Opening19 November 2023
Closing2 December 2023
Opened byManasseh Sogavare
Athlete's OathMarx Boussougou
Lara Grangeon
Websitesol2023.com.sb

The Games were originally scheduled for 16–29 July 2023. However, in July 2021, the Games organizers requested a date change due to delays in preparation for the games caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Solomon Islands.[2]

New Caledonia topped the medal table by both total golds (82) and total medals (197), with Tahiti finishing second by both respects (57 and 160). Australia finished third, setting a record for the most gold medals and total medals ever won by their delegation at a Pacific Games with 50 and 84. Samoa finished fourth, with a total of 34 gold and 76 medals. Papua New Guinea rounded off the top five list with 29 gold medals and third in the overall medal count, with 105 medals. Host nation Solomon Islands won twelve gold medals and 78 medals, its best result at any Pacific Games, finishing in seventh place. Marshall Islands won their first ever Pacific Games gold medals, a record five all from weightlifting.

Host selection edit

Two countries expressed interest and launched bids for the 17th games. Tahiti, French Polynesia, which hosted the event in 1971 and 1995, was the first to express their intentions in hosting the 2023 Games during the Pacific Games Council (PGC) General Assembly in Port Moresby in July 2015. The other bidder, the Solomon Islands, in 2016 expressed interest with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare launching the country's bid for a potential first time host of the quadrennial event.[3] On 11 May 2016, during the PGC General Assembly in Port Vila, with the decision taken by the 22 members of the PGC awarded the hosting rights to the Solomon Islands. The margin of victory was reportedly a single vote.[4]

2023 Pacific Games bidding results
City PGA Final Votes
Honiara   Solomon Islands 12
Pape'ete   Tahiti, French Polynesia 10

Development and preparation edit

The 'Pacific Games 2023 Act 2017' created the National Hosting Authority (NHA) as the 2023 Pacific Games Hosting Authority to manage the duties of the committees created by the Act, including the Games Organizing Committee, Games Facilities Committee, and NHA Secretariat.[5] The NHA's responsibility is to oversee the 2023 Pacific Games overall by making sure the Solomon Islands Pacific Games Association and the Government fulfill their obligations under the host contract and by managing the Games' financial planning and budgeting. This strives to ensure vital connection between public services, venues, and building. Additionally, NHA makes sure that the provisions of the Pacific Games 2023 Act (2017) are followed and upheld.[6]

Security edit

Military and police personal from Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand will be assisting the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force throughout the games.[7][8]

Venues edit

The games will take place in 11 venues spread across the host city of Honiara. The 2023 Pacific Games' sport venues are conveniently close to one another and can be reached in 5 to 30 minutes.[9] The following venues have been confirmed:

Participating nations edit

24 countries and territories participated: the 22 Pacific Games Associations (PGA), and two Associate members - New Zealand, and Australia.

Sports edit

As amended in the Pacific Games charter on 14 July 2019, in Apia, Samoa, the programme of the Pacific Games shall consist of 17 mandatory sports and 7 optionals who have to reflect the local interests.[10][11] The following sports are scheduled for the games:

Calendar edit

The 2023 schedule by session was released by the Games Organizing Committee on 19 June 2023.[12]

Daily medal events for all sports are yet to be confirmed.

All dates are Solomon Islands Time (GMT+11)
OC Opening ceremony ● Event competitions 1 Gold medal events CC Closing ceremony
November/December 2023 November December Events
17
Fri 		18
Sat 		19
Sun 		20
Mon 		21
Tue 		22
Wed 		23
Thu 		24
Fri 		25
Sat 		26
Sun 		27
Mon 		28
Tue 		29
Wed 		30
Thu 		1
Fri 		2
Sat
  Ceremonies OC CC
  Archery ● ●
  Athletics 7 10 10 12 13 2
Basketball   Basketball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 2
  3×3 Basketball ● ● ● 2
  Bodybuilding 10
  Boxing ● ● 4 9
  Field hockey ● ● ● 2
  Football ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1
  Golf ● ● ● 4
  Judo ● 14
  Karate
  Netball ● ● ● ● ● 1
  Outrigger canoeing ● ●
  Powerlifting 8 4 4
  Rugby league nines ● ● 2
  Rugby sevens ● ● 2
  Sailing ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
  Swimming 8 8 8 8 8 3
  Table tennis ● ● 4 ● 2 8
  Taekwondo
  Tennis ● ● ● 2 ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 4
  Touch rugby ● ● 2 ● ● 1
  Triathlon
Volleyball   Indoor volleyball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 2
  Beach volleyball ● ● ● ● 2
  Weightlifting 15 12 12 12 9
Total events
Cumulative total
November/December Fri
17 		Sat
18 		Sun
19 		Mon
20 		Tue
21 		Wed
22 		Thu
23 		Fri
24 		Sat
25 		Sun
26 		Mon
27 		Tue
28 		Wed
29 		Thu
30 		Fri
1 		Sat
2 		Events

Medal table edit

  *   Host nation (Solomon Islands)

2023 Pacific Games medal table[13]
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  New Caledonia825758197
2  Tahiti575350160
3  Australia50241084
4  Samoa34212176
5  Papua New Guinea293739105
6  Fiji21304091
7  Solomon Islands*12363078
8  New Zealand10131235
9  Nauru1012628
10  Guam74617
11  Cook Islands531018
12  Marshall Islands53210
13  Northern Mariana Islands51612
14  Wallis and Futuna36615
15  Vanuatu351119
16  Kiribati32611
17  Federated States of Micronesia3104
18  Tonga28919
19  Niue1012
20  Tuvalu0505
21  American Samoa0336
22  Palau0033
23  Norfolk Island0011
24  Tokelau0000
Totals (24 entries)342324330996

Ceremonies edit

Opening ceremony edit

Main article: 2023 Pacific Games opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the 2023 Pacific Games took place on Sunday, 19 November 2023, at the Solomon Islands National Stadium in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Closing ceremony edit

The closing ceremony was held on 2 December 2023, in Solomon Islands National Stadium.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Solomon Islands awarded 2023 Pacific Games". insidethegames.biz. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Pacific Games in 2023 delayed by four months after Solomon Islands request more time". insidethegames.biz. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Solomon Islands to challenge Tahiti for right to host 2023 Pacific Games". insidethegames.biz. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Solomon Islands awarded 2023 Pacific Games". insidethegames.biz. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Pacific Games 2023 Act 2017" (PDF). www.parliament.gov.sb. National Parliament of Solomon Islands. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  6. ^ "NHA Homepage". www.sol2023nha.com. SOL2023NHA. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Pacific Games 2023: NZDF contingent to support Solomon Islands". RNZ. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Australia sends 100 police to Solomon Islands for Pacific Games". Reuters. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Venues". www.sol2023.com.sb. SOL23. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Pacific Games Council" (PDF 705 KB). 14 July 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  11. ^ "SOL2023 PACIFIC GAMES MASTER PLAN" (PDF 747 KB). National Hosting Authority - Sol2023. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  12. ^ "GOC release Sol2023 Sports Schedule". Sol2023. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Medal standings". 2023 Pacific Games. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
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