‘Awesome, incredible, thankful’

HONIARA, Solomon Islands—The 2023 Pacific Games are just about over but Team NMI is hanging with the big boys of the Pacific.

With an impressive medal haul so far of 12 medals—5 gold, 1 silver, and 6 bronze—it has far surpassed its tally from the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa of four medals.

Chef de mission Nick Gross said on Wednesday night that the medal haul so far has been “awesome,” the team’s performance “incredible” and is “thankful” to all the sponsors that assisted the team.

“I don’t want to say that it was unexpected because I know the hard work that the entire team—all 10 of them—that we got representing the Northern Marianas. I know that it’s been months of hard work, it’s been dedication to training,” he said.

As for the sponsors, he said, “thanks so much to the sponsors so that we weren’t out shaking the tin jar looking for funding—so much thanks to them so that we could really focus on the task of training—so that we could bring this medal haul for everybody to celebrate.”

He added, “Incredible—the coaches and the federations that were behind it and Northern Marianas Sports Association—everybody is an integral part to the success of Team Northern Marianas and I just thank everybody for all the hard work.”

Gross said that it’s been difficult from the heat, the dorm living, transportation, “and the list goes on and on, but to be able to push that aside and compete at the level that we have and have the medal haul that is going, we’re not done!”

“We’re hoping and praying for some more and so keep rocking Team NMI and thanks for everybody’s support back home,” he said.

Athletics, va’a, and beach volleyball have yet to wrap up their competition.

Va’a competitions end today, while beach volleyball, if they make it to the finals, ends tomorrow. Athletics ends tomorrow as well with two-time Pacific Games gold medalist Tania Tan running the half marathon in the morning.

The five gold medals were from Ray Santos of weightlifting, Isaiah Aleksenko of swimming, Christina Tudela from bodybuilding, and Tan from athletics.

The lone silver medal was from Santos as well. Santos also bagged another bronze, while one bronze was from Aleksenko, two was from the men’s relay swim team, one was from weightlifting’s Leowell Cristobal, and the other was from bodybuilding’s Davy Laxa.

On Wednesday night, the athletes in the athletes’ village of SINU Kukum were treated to a farewell visit by the hosts and Solo, the 2023 Pacific Games mascot.

It was two hours of entertainment, dance, and food, and at the end, gifts were given to each athlete.

Some members of Team NMI, Wallis & Futuna, Tahiti, Tonga, and others joined in on the dance in the middle of the pavilion as the crowd cheered, laughed, and danced the night away.

Colin Ramsey, tennis player/coach, said that the night’s entertainment was great. He liked the performances and the songs played and how everyone got together as one.

The Pacific Games closing ceremony is set for tomorrow night and the team is scheduled to depart on Sunday afternoon.