Micronesian Games

The Micronesian Games (or Micro Games, MicroGames) are a quadrennial international multi-sport event within the Micronesian region. The Games were first held in 1969 in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands). The 2010 Micronesian Games were initially due to be held in Majuro (Marshall Islands), until the hosts withdrew. The 2010 Games were hosted by Palau. ^[1] The Federated States of Micronesia won the bidding to host the 2014 Micronesian Games in Pohnpei State, and later won again against CNMI for the 2018 Micronesian Games, held in Yap State. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

History

After the inaugural 1969 edition, the Games were supposed to be a regular event. However, the second edition did not take place until 1990. Since then, the Games have been held every four years without fail.

However, after the 2018 Micronesian Games in Yap State, the Republic of the Marshall Islands was set to host the 10th edition of the Micronesian Games in Majuro; but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Majuro MicroGames was pushed back to 2023. Following a May 23 virtual meeting of the Micronesian Games Council, ^[5] the 10th MicroGames was moved to June 15-24, 2024 in Majuro. ^[6]

All-time medal table

Rank	Association	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Guam	275	178	139	592
2	Palau	265	257	208	730
3	Northern Mariana Islands	186	197	150	533
4	Marshall Islands	128	103	131	362
5	Pohnpei	105	147	147	399
6	Yap	53	69	69	191
7	Nauru	52	18	20	90
8	Chuuk	38	45	72	155
9	Kosrae	19	19	55	93
10	Ponape/Kusaie (defunct)	17	16	10	43
11	Kiribati	2	19	15	36
Totals (11 entries)		1,140	1,068	1,016	3,224

Source: As of March 19, 2023. ^[7]

Editions

Overview of the Micronesian Games

Edition	Year	Host	Start	End	Sports	Events	Nations	Top association	Ref
I	1969	Saipan, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands	4 July	12 July			6	Palau
II	1990	Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands	7 July	15 July			7	Guam
III	1994	Hagåtña, Guam	26 March	2 April			9	Guam	[8]
IV	1998	Koror, Palau	1 August	9 August			9	Nauru
V	2002	Palikir, Pohnpei	21 July	30 July			9	Northern Mariana Islands
VI	2006	Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands	23 June	4 July			9	Guam
VII	2010	Koror, Palau	1 August	10 August			8	Palau
VIII	2014	Pohnpei, Pohnpei	20 July	29 July			9	Guam	[9]
IX	2018	Yap, Yap	15 July	27 July			10	Palau	[10]
X	2024	Majuro, Marshall Islands	15 June	24 June			10	Northern Mariana Islands	[11]
XI	2026	Nauru	Future event						[12]

Competitors

Participants include four sovereign countries (the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and Palau), a commonwealth in political union with the United States (the Northern Mariana Islands), an organized unincorporated territory of the United States (Guam), and the four constituent States of the Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae and Yap, which compete separately from one another).

These ten countries, States and territories are all located within the Micronesian region of Oceania.

All participants also take part in the Pacific Games, although the Federated States of Micronesia competes as a unified country there.

Events

Athletes compete in the fields of athletics, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, fast pitch softball, association football, golf, slow pitch softball, spearfishing, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, va'a canoe, volleyball and wrestling, as well as the "Micronesian all-around", which includes events like coconut tree climbing and coconut husking.

The Micronesian Games thus combine events that may be found in other international competitions with events more specific to Micronesian countries.

Micronesian all-around

The Micronesian all-around (sometimes shortened to Micro all-round) is an unusual multi-event contest practiced at the Micronesian Games, a kind of pentathlon featuring skills from a traditional island lifestyle. The 2018 version included the following events: ^[13]

• Coconut climbing(men only): Participants climb up and down three coconut trees in the fastest possible time.
• Coconut husking: Participants remove the husks from 10 coconuts as fast as possible.
• Coconut grating(women only): Participants fully grate five of the coconuts they had earlier husked, again in the fastest possible time.
• Swimming: A race that starts with running from shore into the water, a swim and a short underwater swim to a target, and then a swim back to shore.
• Diving: Participants free dive to retrieve five objects from the sea bottom in the fastest possible time.
• Spear throwing: Participants throw spears at targets placed in the water.

See also

• Pacific Games
• Athletics at the Micronesian Games
• Football at the Micronesian Games
• Spearfishing at the Micronesian Games

References

1. Carreon, Bernadette H. (May 20, 2008). "Palau to host Micro Games in 2010". Marianas Variety. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
2. Monroyo, Roselyn (July 28, 2014). "Micro Games heading to Yap". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
3. Jaynes, Bill (July 31, 2014). "8th Micro Games now in the history books". Kaselehlie Press. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
4. Aisek, Otis (July 27, 2014). "Yap Wins Bid to Host the 2018 Micronesian Games". The Fourth Branch. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
5. http://www.micronesian.games ^{[ bare URL ]}
6. "New dates for stalled Micronesian Games announced". Radio New Zealand . 8 May 2023.
7. Micronesian Gams Council. "Past Games Results". Micronesian Games Council. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
8. Branigin, William (April 4, 1994). "Foreign Journal". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
9. Monroyo, Roselyn (June 24, 2013). "Micro Games first payment due next month". Saipan Tribune . Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
10. "Micro Games 2018 - More Than Just Games". Archived from the original on August 17, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
11. "Sport: Marshall Islands to host 2022 Micronesian Games". Radio New Zealand . July 31, 2018. Archived from the original on September 11, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
12. "Sport: Nauru will host Micronesian Games for first time". Radio New Zealand . July 28, 2022. Archived from the original on July 27, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
13. "Micronesian All-Around Competition Manual". GameDay. 2018 Micronesian Games Organizing Committee. 2018.

External links

• Official website