The Pacific Mini Games concluded last Friday, with a spectacular closing ceremony. Port Vila, played host for the first time since 1993, and with new infrastructure, and a passionate and dedicated local team, the games went off without a hitch.
In this edition of the PMG, there were 12 different sports present, with representation from 24 Federations from around the Pacific. All up there were over 1000 athletes and 250 Technical Officials. Technical Officials where brought in from around the globe, but the majority where recruited and trained from Vanuatu.
Oceania Athletics President, Geoff Gardner, was awarded the Technical Officials of the Games, across all sports. Geoff, acted as our Chair of the Jury, as well as Combined Events Referee during the competition. His lead by the front attitude is not just limited to the Pacific Games, he regularly officiates at Oceania Athletics events, and has been selected on the Jury for the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Geoff Gardner, learning of his award.
“I would like to accept it on behalf on all of the Technical Officials and volunteers. I am very honoured, but I am just one of a team of officials and volunteers, who worked tirelessly to put on the competition for the athletes.
To the Pacific Games Council, thank you and thank you for recognising the work that technical officials do across all of the sports at the Games.Congratulations to Vanuatu on a successful hosting of this edition of the Mini Games.”
Andrew Minogue, CEO of the Pacific Games
“Geoff Gardner was nominated by the Palau NOC as the outstanding Technical Official of the 2017 Pacific Mini Games. The judging panel, made up of PGC Athletes’ Representative Ryan Pini and representatives of the regional media, all witnessed first hand Geoff’s tireless dedication to the sport of Athletics, down on the field all day every day in hot and sometimes rainy conditions. There were several other nominees for this award but the panel unanimously agreed that Geoff’s performance was the most outstanding.”
We would like to thank all of our officials and volunteers, who helped conduct four great days of competition. Whilst there was some challenges at times, mainly the weather on the final day, everyone was able to perform at a high level, and put on a great competition for the athletes.
Without our volunteer and officials, we wouldn’t be able to put on a successful meet.
