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 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.

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

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 French Polynesia Tahiti, French Polynesia 10

Development and preparation

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

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

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:

  • Aquatic Center (new) – Swimming
  • DC Park (existing) – Archery, Sailing, Open water swimming, Touch rugby, Va’a/Outrigger canoeing
  • Friendship Hall (new) – Basketball, Boxing, Netball, Volleyball
  • HCC Sports Precint (existing) – Table tennis
  • Honiara Golf Club (existing) – Golf
  • King George Hockey Turf (renovated) – Field hockey
  • Lawson Tama Stadium (existing) – Football
  • Maranatha Hall (existing) – Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, Weightlifting
  • National Stadium (Solomon Islands)/Main Stadium (new) – Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony, Athletics, Football, Rugby league 9s, Rugby 7s
  • National Tennis Center (renovated) – Tennis
  • SIFF Academy (existing) – 3x3 Basketball, Beach volleyball, Karate, Judo
    • SIFF Academy (Field 1 & 2) – Football

Participating nations

It is expected that 24 countries and territories are to participate: the 22 Pacific Games Associations (PGA), and two Associate members - New Zealand, and Australia.

Sports

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

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)
OCOpening ceremony Event competitions 1Gold medal events CCClosing 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
CeremoniesOCCC
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

  *   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

Opening ceremony

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

Closing ceremony

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

See also

References

  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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