Pacific Mini Games: From rainy start to fiery, unforgettable celebration in Palau

The 2025 Pacific Mini Games kicked off in Palau with a bit of a whimper but finished with a massive bang.

Briefly, just before the Games started, there was a power cut, which was somewhat ironic considering that the first advertisement inside the official games program was from the Palau Public Utilities Corporation. It also didn't help that it had been raining all day.

It's been raining most of the week, but the showers have been most consistent today, which means that the athletes were standing on the track outside in the rain.

Thankfully, Pacific people always know how to find joy in these situations, and after a few tenuous moments, some of the flag bearers ran onto the field.

Once one country was on, another country followed, and suddenly, there was a whole game of who could do the most outrageous run with their flag on the field.

Entertaining both the audience and the officials, and, most importantly, the athletes who were stuck in the rain on the track.

Palau is abuzz with excitement as the Pacific Mini Games gets underway this week. with the Photo/Facebook/Pacific Mini Games 2025

Now, once everything got moving, there was a real joy and celebration at the beginning of the events.

The security was a mixture of local police, some overseas police whom we had already seen, the army, and the US Marines.

Now while the official ceremony was a couple of hours the event itself particularly for the athletes and officials started way earlier in the afternoon and thankfully there was local bottles of water supplied by none other than Palau's Assembly of God Church who were showing up with, and this is not a joke, Jesus water in plastic bottles.

Photo/Facebook/Pacific Mini Games 2025

Now, other denominations might make fun of AOG for showing up with extra water on a day when it's constantly raining, but they were working their best to keep everyone hydrated.

Now, as the many athletes made their way around the track and presented themselves to the president of Palau and the numerous officials, one particular athlete stood out, mainly because he was alone.

The tiny but mighty country of Tokelau was represented by Ilai Elekana Manu, a 40-year-old judo competitor, who marched by himself with his flag to rounds of applause and cheers from the local crowd.

Photo/PMN News/James Nokise

He stood proudly, stealing the spotlight from all the other larger countries, even if only for a moment, as he truly captured the imaginations of everyone. Notably, he was one up on Niue, which had not attended these games. We'll look more at that further in the week.

Now, after the countries had presented themselves, the prayers had been spoken, and the speeches had been made, it was time for the lighting of the torch. A long procession passed through, carrying the flame, with many athletes from the history of Palau's competitive team.

The final bearer of the torch, though, was Sydney Francisco, the Palauan sprinter who competed at the Olympic Games last year, and was the only track and field representative.

Photo/PMN News/James Nokise

Francisco is named after the Sydney Olympics by her mother, who was a competitor there herself.

It was a beautiful moment when her mom appeared just before she went to light the cauldron and gave her a hug, which is a very heartwarming moment, especially for all the Palauan locals.

After which there was an explosion of fireworks, an amazing display of fireworks considering this is the Pacific mini games and not the 2000 Olympics which was set off not in the ocean which was quite nearby but in the community college surrounded by a security detail and just far away, enough away from the public that everyone felt safe. But it was very loud and very long.

Monday's competition started at 8.30am, NZ time, in Va'a (outrigger canoeing), swimming, volleyball, wrestling, baseball, and softball.

Photo/PMN News/James Nokise

Despite that, despite the rain, despite the occasional blackout, everyone enjoyed the opening ceremony, left in high spirits, and the Games is kicking off the only way the Pacific Mini Games could with va'a and swimming competitions.

Athletes and spectators will be at the water, come rain or shine. As long as the water is still, the Games will kick off.

The 2025 Pacific Mini Games is from 29 June to 9 July in Koror, Palau.