Pacific Mini Games in Palau, 2025

Team Fiji to the Pacific Mini Games in Palau presented their iTatau to the Minister for Youth and Sports, Jese Saukuru at the FMF Gymnasium.

Saukuru reminded Team Fiji to always carry Fiji in their hearts in whichever sporting field they will compete in

He also told the athletes to go out with courage, compete with integrity, and make Fiji proud.

A traditional iTatau ceremony was also accorded to the Minister, where Team Fiji sought blessings and offered their respects to the national leadership before departing for international competition.

It marks the team’s commitment to represent Fiji with pride, discipline and unity.

The 2025 Pacific Mini Games will be held from the 29th of this month to the 9th of July.

The second wave of Team Fiji to the Pacific Mini Games arrived safely in Palau this morning and was welcomed by the team’s Chef de Mission Josaia Tuinamata in Koror.

Tuinamata was part of the first wave of Team Fiji that left for Palau on Friday.

The team was seen singing a hymn at the Palau International Airport on their arrival.

Members of the Fijian community in Palau were also present at the airport to greet the team.

Meanwhile, the opening of the Pacific Mini Games will be held at 9 tonight.

As day one of the Palau Mini Games kicks off today, Team Fiji will be represented in Swimming, Basketball, Baseball, and Va’a.

Competing in the 400 metres freestyle are Reuben Taylor, Vivita Bai, Marseleima Moss, and Imelda Smith.

Thaddeus Wong, Hansel McCaig, Livai Raviko, Theola Kwong, Jonalesi Vatubua and Sharlina Simpson will be taking part in the 50 metres backstroke.

Team Fiji plays American Samoa in 3x3 Basketball at 2.30pm while the Va’a will also take to water today

Team Fiji Va'a V12 500 metres Mixed team are through to the finals after winning their heats this morning.

The team consist of Martha Samuel, Sera Havea, Ifereimi Vesikula, Abraham Fong, Semesa Vilise, Apete Dabea, Faith Khelan, Talei Kaimacuata, Kahela Pickering, Nanise Soko, Sanirusi Moceica, and Ratu Goleanavanua.

The final will be this afternoon.

Team Fiji will be represented in 12 sports at the Games.

These include Archery, Athletics, Baseball (Men), Basketball, Para Athletics, Para Table Tennis, Swimming, Triathlon, Va'a, Beach & Indoor Volleyball (Women) and Weightlifting.

Raymond Rusivakula has won Team Fiji’s first medal at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau.

Rusivakula won bronze in the Va’a V1 500 metres Open Men’s Final with a time of 2 minutes 25.30 seconds.

Earlier today, the Va'a V12 500 metres Mixed team qualified for the finals after winning their heats.

Team Fiji is represented in 12 sports at the Games.

These include Archery, Athletics, Baseball (Men), Basketball, Para Athletics, Para Table Tennis, Swimming, Triathlon, Va'a, Beach & Indoor Volleyball (Women) and Weightlifting.

Elenoa Vateitei has secured a silver medal for Team Fiji at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau this afternoon.

Vateitei came second in the V1 500 metres Open Women’s final with a time of 2:38.59, just behind Samoa’s Anne Cairns who clocked 2:36.29.

Earlier today, Raymond Rusivakula scooped bronze in the Va’a V1 500 metres Open Men’s Final.

Meanwhile, the V12 500 metres Mixed team that won their heat this morning also won a bronze this afternoon.

Team Fiji Va'a Coach Stanley Ooms says he is just so happy about the performance of the teams today.

Ooms says tomorrow they will focus on the 500 metres V6 Men’s and Women’s as well as their V6 mixed categories.

Tahiti currently leads the medal tally with 2 gold and 1 silver, Samoa is second with 1 gold, Fiji is third with 1 silver and 2 bronze, all from the Va’a.

Team Fiji finished second in the Men’s 400-metre Freestyle relay final.

The four athletes who competed in the relay were Reuben Taylor, Livai Raviko, Hansel McCaig, and David Young.

In other results, Kelera Mudunasoko won silver in the Women’s 200-metre Breaststroke final, while Hansel McCaig claimed bronze in the Men’s 50-metre Backstroke final.

Today, Team Fiji will focus on the 500-metre V6 Men’s and Women’s events, as well as the V6 Mixed category.

Tahiti currently leads the medal tally with 9 gold, 7 silver, and 2 bronze medals, the Marshall Islands is in second place with 3 gold and 1 silver, Samoa is third with 3 gold and 1 bronze, while Fiji sits in 8th place with 3 silver and 3 bronze medals.

@fijivillage.com Team Fiji secures silver in Men’s 400m Freestyle relay #fiji #fyp #palaugames2025 ♬ original sound - fijivillage

Team Fiji Va’a has collected another medal, winning silver in the V6 500 metres Women’s at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau.

The team includes Sera Havea, Faith Khelan, Krystelle Whippy, Martha Samuela, Taleivini Kaimacuata, and Elenoa Vateitei.

Team Fiji Va’a had earlier won three medals for Fiji, with Elenoa Vateitei collecting silver in the V1 500 metres Women’s, Raymond Rusivakula winning bronze in the V1 500 metres Men’s, and the V12 500 metres Mixed team also winning bronze.

Fiji is in eighth place on the medal tally with 4 silver and 3 bronze.

Tahiti continues to lead with 11 gold, 7 silver and 2 bronze, Marshall Islands is in second with 3 gold and 1 silver, and Samoa is in third place with 3 gold and 1 bronze.

Team Fiji will be competing in the Men’s and Women’s 3x3 basketball this afternoon, with the women’s team playing the Marshall Islands at 5.45pm, before facing Guam at 10 tonight.

The men’s team will take on the Marshall Islands at 6.15pm and then Palau at 10.30 tonight.

Samuel Yalimaiwai was thrilled to win gold in the Men’s 50 metres Breaststroke at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau, despite having only a few months of preparation.

Yalimaiwai says he aimed to win gold in the race, and it finally became a reality, an achievement that also set a national record, which he is proud of.

He shared that at the beginning of the year, he trained twice a week, but after team selections, he increased his training to twice a day.

He also dedicated his win to his family, especially to his aunt Elisa, who is battling cancer, and to his coaches for their support.

In other results, Kelera Mudunasoko won gold in the Women’s 50 metres Breaststroke, securing Fiji’s second gold medal.

Marseileima Moss claimed silver in the Women’s 800 metres Freestyle, the Mixed 200 metres Medley Relay team also finished second in the final, Chaandvi Prasad won silver in the Women’s Recurve Double 720 Round 70 metres, while Patrick Nadan took bronze in the Men’s Compound Double 720 Round 50 metres, Kavi Gounder also walked away with bronze in the same category. Coming up today, the Va’a V6 1500 metres events for both Women and Men start at 8:30am.

@fijivillage.com Yalimaiwai sets national record, wins gold in 50m Breaststroke #fiji #fyp#palauminigames2025 ♬ original sound - fijivillage

Team Fiji secured two gold medals at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau last night, with standout performances from Samuel Yalimaiwai in the Men’s 50 metres Breaststroke and Kelera Mudunasoko in the Women’s 50 metres Breaststroke.

Yalimaiwai says he aimed to win gold in the race, and it finally became a reality, an achievement that also set a national record, which he is proud of.

He shared that at the beginning of the year, he trained twice a week, but after team selections, he increased his training to twice a day.

He also dedicated his win to his family, especially to his aunt Elisa, who is battling cancer, and to his coaches for their support.

Mudunasoko also set a new national record of 32.62 seconds in her event.

In other results for Fiji, Marseileima Moss claimed silver in the Women’s 800 metres Freestyle, the Mixed 200 metres Medley Relay team also finished second in the final, Chaandvi Prasad won silver in the Women’s Archery Recurve Double 720 Round 70 metres, while Patrick Nadan took bronze in the Men’s Compound Double 720 Round 50 metres, Kavi Gounder also walked away with bronze in the same category.

@fijivillage.com Team Fiji's mixed 200m Medley Relay team's silver finish at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau! #fiji #fyp ♬ original sound - fijivillage

Coming up today, the Va’a V6 1500 metres events for both Women and Men start at 8:30am.

Stay with us for updates.

Team Va’a has won another medal for Fiji, claiming bronze in the V6 Female 1,500 metres at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau.

The team consist of Sera Havea, Taleivini Kaimacuata, Annette Naigulevu, Martha Samuela, Elenoa Vatetei and Krystelle Whippy.

Va’a has managed to win five medals for Team Fiji at the Pacific Mini Games- Elenoa Vatetei winning silver in the V1 500 metres, the female team won silver in the V6 Female 500 metres, Raymond Rusivakula won bronze in the V1 500 metres, the mix team won bronze in the V12 500 metres, and the mix team won bronze in the V6 500 metres.

Team Fiji currently sits in eighth place in the medal tally with 2 gold, 8 silver and 8 bronze.

Tahiti continues to lead with 25 gold, 13 silver and 4 bronze, Samoa is second with 6 gold and 4 bronze, and Northern Mariana Islands is in third place with 4 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze.

Heleina Young, Frederico Miller, Yeshnil Karan and Errol Qaqa all secured gold medals for Fiji at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau.

Young says she was happy to finish with a gold medal, clocking 56.05 seconds in the Women’s 400 metres final.

She says that the months of sacrifice and hard work had paid off with successful results.

In preparing for the Women’s 400 metres final, Young says she wasn't too nervous, since she normally competes in the 100 metres and 200 metres events.

She adds she just focused on doing her best and was proud to come away with gold.

Young also highlighted that while the team had aimed for first place in the 4x100 metres relay, taking silver still meant a lot to them.

She dedicated her win to her mother, thanking her for her endless support.

Meanwhile, Errol Qaqa won gold in the Men’s 110 metres hurdles final.

Qaqa says winning gold had been his goal from the start of his preparations.

He says as one of the senior athletes, he felt the responsibility to lead by example and was glad he was able to do so.

He adds that focusing on what he needed to do helped him achieve victory.

Frederico Miller also claimed gold in the Senior Men’s Triple Jump with a leap of 13.89 metres, while Yeshnil Karan secured another gold in the Men’s 5,000 metres, clocking 15 minutes 27.62 seconds.

Upcoming events for today include the Women’s Indoor Volleyball bronze medal match between Fiji and Wallis and Futuna at 3pm, the Women’s Shot Put Para Ambulant at 6pm, the Men’s 200 metres semi-finals (Heats 1 and 2) at 6.30pm, the Women’s 200 metres Heats 1 and 2 at 7.30pm, the Women’s Triple Jump at 8pm, the Men’s 400 metres Hurdles Final at 8.15pm, and the Women’s Shot Put (4.00kg) at 9pm.

Fiji is currently third on the medal tally with 22 gold, 27 silver, and 21 bronze medals.

Tahiti leads with 59 gold, 37 silver, and 21 bronze while Samoa is in second place with 27 gold, 14 silver, and 20 bronze.