Australian team for the Pacific Mini Games announced

Fourteen of the country’s budding junior track and field athletes will represent Australia for the first time at the 11th edition of the Pacific Mini Games, taking place in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands from 17-25 June.

The Pacific Mini Games is a multi-sport event contested by countries and territories located across the Oceania region, and is a scaled-down version of the Pacific Games, which takes place every four years - with Australia represented in Athletics and Weightlifting in 2022. 

On an island just a 45-minute flight from Guam in the Pacific Ocean, the 14-strong team will aim to surpass Australia's best performance at the competition since its inception in 1981, with the 2017 Weightlifting outfit holding the record with two bronze medals at the 2017 Mini Games. 

The Games are a key opportunity for developing athletes as they build towards senior team representation, said Athletics Australia General Manager, Andrew Faichney.

“Part of our strategy to better support our pathway and developing athletes is to provide them with opportunities to compete internationally against athletes of similar levels,” Faichney said.

“Competitions like these are about gaining crucial competition experience and building their confidence, and giving them a chance to get a feel for what it’s like to be in an Australian team environment as they take the next steps in their athletics careers.

“I’d like to congratulate all fourteen athletes on their selection and we look forward to seeing what they can achieve when they land in Saipan next month.”

Athletes travelling to the Pacific Mini Games are self funded, but can be supported with tax deductable donations via The Athletics Foundation.  For more information on The Athletics Foundation visit www.theathleticsfoundation.org.au 

The first event is set to begin at 4:10pm AEST on Tuesday June 21. 

Live Results can be found HERE. 

Livestream can be found HERE.

Australian Team
Pacific Mini Games 
Saipan, Northern Marianas 
17th – 25th June

*Age @ 17 June 2022

WOMEN (8)
100m                        Rebecca Bain (V, 18, Cathy Matthews)
200m                        Monique Hanlon (Q, 17, Luke Donatini)
100m Hurdles           Tayden Tomich (Q, 16, Eric Brown)
Discus Throw            Charlize Goody (Q, 16, Michael Moore)
Hammer Throw         Lara Roberts (Q, 18, Brett Green)
Hammer Throw         Renee Hardy (N, 19, Karyne Di Marco & Breanne Clement)
Javelin Throw             Angelina Tignani (Q, 17, Ben Thomson)
Long Jump                 Claire Roberts (A, 19, Matt Beckenham)

MEN (6)
100m                         Jackson Rowe (N, 18, Greg Smith)
Discus Throw            Jackson Mellor (T, 18, Matthew Denny)
Hammer Throw         Benjamin Roberts (Q, 18, Brett Green)
Javelin Throw             Alexander del Popolo (N, 18, Rhys Stein)
Javelin Throw            Thomas Noakes (N, 18, Zsuzsanna Olgyay-Szabo)
Triple Jump               Finn Murphy (N, 19, Andrew Murphy)
 

By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 12/5/2022