Safekipedia

Pacific Games

Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience

Pacific Games

The Pacific Games is a big sports event that happens every four years for athletes from the area known as Oceania. It started in 1963 in Suva, Fiji, and the most recent games were in 2023 in Honiara, Solomon Islands. At first, the games were called the South Pacific Games, but they changed their name to the Pacific Games later. The Pacific Games Council makes sure everything runs smoothly and helps the city that hosts the games get ready.

Athletes with disabilities are welcome to join their country's teams just like everyone else. In every sport, the top three winners get medals: gold for first place, silver for second, and bronze for third. Because many places wanted to host and join the games, the council created a smaller version called the Pacific Mini Games.

So far, ten different cities in seven countries and areas have hosted the Pacific Games. Some places have hosted three times already: Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa. French Polynesia will host for the third time in 2027. Only six countries have been to every single Pacific Games: Fiji, French Polynesia (Tahiti), New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and Vanuatu. New Caledonia has won the most medals overall and has been on top fourteen times.

History

The idea for the Pacific Games began in 1959 when Dr. A.H. Sahu Khan from Fiji suggested it at a meeting. The first games were held in Suva, Fiji, in 1963. They have been held every four years since 1975.

The games were originally called the South Pacific Games but were renamed the Pacific Games in 2006. This change happened to better match the name of the Pacific Community, which had also changed its name a few years earlier. The games aim to bring together people from across the Pacific region through sports, without any differences based on race, religion, or politics.

The games include many sports, both traditional and new, and have grown over time. Sometimes, the games have caused money problems for the places that host them. Still, many nations still want to host the games, showing how important they are to the Pacific community.

Sports

The Pacific Games have many different sports for athletes to compete in. When the Games started in 1963, there were ten sports. Over time, more sports were added, with the most ever being thirty-three in 2007. Later, it was decided to limit the number of sports to twenty-four to save money, starting with the 2023 Games.

Some sports are required in every Games, called core sports. Others are optional and the host country can choose which ones to include. For example, triathlon became a core sport in 2016, and archery joined in 2021. Some sports, like underwater fishing, are no longer part of the Games.

SportDisciplineCode & PictogramBodyYearsStatus
ArcheryARCWorld Archery1971–1975, 1995, 2003–2011, 2019–presentCore
AthleticsATHWorld Athletics1963–presentCore
BadmintonBDMBWF2003–2011, 2019, 2027Optional
Baseball and softballBaseballBBLWBSC1999–2011Optional
SoftballSBL1969–1975, 1991, 2007, 2015Optional
Baseball5BS5NeverOptional
Basketball3x3BK3FIBA2019–presentCore
BasketballBKB1963–presentCore
BodybuildingBDBWBPF1995, 2003–2015, 2023Optional
BoxingBOXWorld Boxing1963–presentCore
CricketCKTICC1979, 1987–1991, 2003–2019Optional
Cue sportsBilliardsBILWCBSNeverOptional
SnookerSNKOptional
CyclingBMXBMXUCINeverOptional
Mountain bikeMTB2027Optional
RoadCRD1966, 1971–1975, 1987, 1995, 2027Optional
TrackCTR1966, 1971–1975, 1987, 1995Optional
Field hockeyField hockeyHOCFIH1979, 2003–2007Optional
Hockey5sHO52015, 2023Optional
FootballFBLFIFA1963–1995, 2003–presentCore
GolfGLFIGF1969–presentCore
HandballHBLIHFNeverOptional
JudoJUDIJF1969–1979, 1987, 1995–2011, 2019–presentCore
KarateKTEWKF1995–2003, 2011–2015, 2023Optional
Lawn bowlsLBWWorld Bowls1979, 1983, 1991, 2003–2007, 2015–2019Optional
NetballNTBWorld Netball1963–1969, 1979–1983, 1991–2007, 2015–2023Optional
Outrigger canoeingVa'aVAAIVF1995–presentCore
KayakKYK2023–presentCore
PowerliftingPLFIPF1995, 2003–presentOptional
Rugby league ninesRL9IRL2007, 2015–2023Optional
RugbySevensRU7World Rugby1999–presentCore
SailingSALWorld Sailing1969–1979, 1987–presentOptional
ShootingSHOISSF1987, 1995, 2003–2019, 2027Optional
SquashSQUWSF1979–1991, 2003–2019, 2027Optional
SurfingSRFISA1995, 2003–2011, 2027Optional
SwimmingSWMWorld Aquatics1963–1979, 1987–presentCore
Table tennisTTEITTF1963–presentCore
TaekwondoTKWWorld Taekwondo1995–presentCore
TennisTENITF1963–presentCore
Touch rugbyTRUFIT2003–2007, 2015–2023Optional
TriathlonTRIWorld Triathlon1995–presentCore
VolleyballBeachVBVFIVB1999–presentCore
IndoorVVO1963–presentCore
WeightliftingWLFIWF1966–presentCore
WrestlingFreestyleWRFUWW1999, 2007, 2027Optional
Greco-RomanWRG1999, 2007, 2027Optional
BeachWRB2027Optional
RugbyUnionRUGWorld Rugby1963–1971, 1979–1995Discontinued
Underwater fishingFSHCMAS1971–1975, 1995–1999Discontinued

Participating nations

Only six teams have attended every Pacific Games: Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu. This list includes all 22 current PGAs, two special teams and two old PGAs, arranged alphabetically. The three-letter country code is also listed for each PGA. Several nations have changed during the Games' history.

63In the table headings, indicates the Games year
•Participated in the specified Games
HHost nation for the specified Games
[a]Additional explanatory comments at the linked footnote
 Nation not a member of the Pacific Games Council during these years
 PGA superseded or preceded by other PGA(s) during these years
PGACode6366697175798387919599030711151923Total
 American SamoaASA••••••••••••••••16
 Australia[a]AUS•••3
 Cook IslandsCOK•••••••••••••••15
 Federated States of MicronesiaFSMTrust Territory of Micronesia•••••••7
 FijiFIJH••••H•••••H•••••17
 French PolynesiaPYF•••H•••••H•••••••17
Gilbert and Ellice Islands [^]GEI•••3
 GuamGUM•••H•••••H••••••16
 KiribatiKIRGilbert and Ellice Islands••••••••8
 Marshall IslandsMHLTrust Territory of Micronesia•••••••7
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Trust Territory of Micronesia [^]TTM•1
 NauruNRU••••••••••••••14
 New CaledoniaNCL•H•••••H•••••H•••17
 New Zealand[b]NZL•••3
 NiueNIU•••••••••••11
 Norfolk IslandNFK••••••••••••12
 Northern Mariana IslandsNMITrust Territory of Micronesia•••••••••••11
 PalauPLWTrust Territory of Micronesia•••••••7
 Papua New Guinea[PNG]PNG••H•••••H•••••H••17
 Samoa[SAM]SAM••••••H•••H••H•15
 Solomon IslandsSOL•••••••••••••••H16
 TokelauTKLGilbert and Ellice Islands••••••••8
 TongaTGA•••••••••••••••••17
 TuvaluTUVGilbert and Ellice Islands••••••••8
 Vanuatu[VAN]VAN•••••••••••••••••17
 Wallis and FutunaWLF••••••••••••••••16

All-time medal table

The Pacific Games do not name a winner for the most medals. They focus on fair competition and good sportsmanship.

Updated after the 2023 Pacific Games.

RankPGA / NOCGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 New Caledonia9937846892,466
2 Tahiti5745015301,605
3 Papua New Guinea4994884751,462
4 Fiji4435165391,498
5 Samoa[a]266216220702
6 Nauru1107968257
7 Australia1005235187
8 Guam72112140324
9 Tonga6074113247
10 American Samoa455184180
11 Cook Islands365780173
12 Solomon Islands33103140276
13 Wallis and Futuna315197179
14 Vanuatu[b]2965110204
15 Federated States of Micronesia23151048
16 New Zealand19312878
17 Kiribati16273982
18 Northern Mariana Islands13131844
19 Palau9141639
20 Norfolk Island7151941
21 Marshall Islands561425
22 Tokelau3227
23 Tuvalu29617
24 Niue261321
25 Gilbert and Ellice Islands0112
Totals (25 entries)3,3903,2883,48610,164

Editions

Host cities of the Pacific Games

List of Pacific Games

GamesNo.HostGames dates /
Opened by		SportsCompetitorsEventsNationsTop nation
1963IFiji Suva29 August – 8 September 1963
Governor Sir Kenneth Maddocks		106465813Fiji Fiji
1966IINew Caledonia Nouméa8 – 18 December 1966
Overseas Minister Pierre Billotte		1212008614New Caledonia New Caledonia
1969IIITerritory of Papua and New Guinea Port Moresby13 – 23 August 1969
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent		1511509512New Caledonia New Caledonia
1971IVFrench Polynesia Papeʻetē25 August – 5 September 1971
Overseas Minister Pierre Messmer		17200011714New Caledonia New Caledonia
1975VGuam Agaña1 – 10 August 1975
Governor Ricardo Bordallo		16120511913New Caledonia New Caledonia
1979VIFiji Suva28 August – 8 September 1979
Governor-General Ratu Sir George Cakobau		18267212919New Caledonia New Caledonia
1983VIISamoa Apia5 – 16 September 1983
Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili II		1525009713New Caledonia New Caledonia
1987VIIINew Caledonia Nouméa8 – 20 December 1987
Unknown		18165015912New Caledonia New Caledonia
1991IXPapua New Guinea Port Moresby and Lae7 – 21 September 1991
Prince Andrew, Duke of York		17200016416 Papua New Guinea
1995XFrench Polynesia Papeʻetē25 – 5 September 1995
Unknown		25200025312 New Caledonia
1999XIGuam Santa Rita29 May – 12 June 1999
Unknown		22+300023321 New Caledonia
2003XIIFiji Suva28 June – 12 July 2003
President Josefa Iloilo		32500030922 New Caledonia
2007XIIISamoa Apia25 August – 8 September 2007
Head of State Tufuga Efi		33500030522 New Caledonia
2011XIVNew Caledonia Nouméa27 August – 10 September 2011
French President Nicolas Sarkozy		27430030522 New Caledonia
2015XVPapua New Guinea Port Moresby4 – 18 July 2015
Prince Andrew, Duke of York		28370029924 Papua New Guinea
2019XVISamoa Apia7 – 20 July 2019
Head of State Va'aletoa Sualauvi II		26400032224 New Caledonia
2023XVIISolomon Islands Honiara19 November – 2 December 2023
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare		24500034224 New Caledonia
2027XVIIIFrench Polynesia Pirae24 July – 7 August 2027
TBA		244500 (expected)35624 (expected)TBD
2031XIXTonga Nuku'alofaTBA 2031
TBA		24TBATBATBATBD

Related articles

Fiji
Papua New Guinea
Tonga
Vanuatu
Solomon Islands
Guam

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Pacific Games, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.